Newsletter for July 31, 2020

The latest CPI Report is posted on the LERG website.

New HR Webinars Available This Fall

Navigating a multitude of human resources issues in the workplace is never easy, and a pandemic does not help matters at all. However, from social media issues to privacy expectations, and labor relations to contract negotiations issues, NWPPA has you covered this fall with virtual sessions sure to answer your latest HR questions.

Does your social media policy protect individual rights regarding confidentiality and the First Amendment right to freedom of speech? If you recruit via social media, are you in compliance with the Fair Credit and Reporting Act? The list of considerations for social media doesn’t end there, which is why you should join us on October 1 for Social Media Issues in the Workplace. This course will cover a wide range of issues such as social media policy, collective bargaining agreements, Section 7 rights of the National Labor Relations Act, FTC regulations, and more.

If you want to understand more about labor contract negotiations, or need a refresher, you’ll want to join us for Labor Negotiations from Start to Finish. This three-part series will cover three important areas of negotiations: preparation; use of time, information, and power; and closing the deal. The series begins on October 7.

Although privacy is a dynamic issue of growing concern in essentially every modern workplace, there is still no single comprehensive law governing workplace privacy. Instead, privacy in the workplace is more of a patchwork quilt coming under a variety of laws. This is why we are offering Privacy Issues in the Workplace, which will cover dynamic issues such as recruitment; medical inquiries; background and misconduct investigations; employment and medical records; and drug and alcohol testing. This 90-minute course will occur on October 29.

November brings a three-part virtual series on Labor Relations Basics. Beginning on November 5, the course will cover employee and labor relations basics in the first session. The following two sessions will cover just cause and due process, and grievance processing respectively. Whether you are new to labor relations or have been around for a while, this series has tips and information for everyone.

Registration is open for all at www.nwppa.org/webinars, and single registration and unlimited registration for utilities is available. All sessions are eligible for SHRM credits.  For more information about any of the above courses, contact Jenny Keesey at jenny@nwppa.org.

NWPPA Needs Your Help: Please Complete Our Needs Survey

After 80 years, NWPPA continues to exist to enhance the success of its members through education, training, communication, government relations, and value-added services. We want to help our utility members grow and thrive professionally. However, the challenge is that our utility and member learning needs are constantly evolving, often making it a challenge to keep up with the pace. This is even more true in today’s pandemic world, where our learning needs, our businesses, and priorities have been riding the proverbial roller coaster. For this reason, a needs assessment survey is crucial to enable NWPPA to determine collective needs and priorities of our members.

So we are excited to release a training needs assessment survey intended to help us understand what our members need as we progress through this tumultuous time. Now more than ever with travel restrictions and budget cuts, it is critical that NWPPA stay hyper-focused on our members’ highest priorities.

Please take 10 minutes to help us meet your existing and future learning needs. The simple survey is open now at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NWPPANeedsSurvey

If you complete the survey, you will be put in a drawing for one of two $25 Amazon gift cards.

Upcoming Training

Leadership Skills:  Challenging Communications Webinar Series
August 12 – September 16

Microsoft Office Essentials Series: Microsoft 365 – When to Use What
August 20

Microsoft Office Essentials Series: Excel Essentials
August 25

Microsoft Office Essentials Series: Excel Calculations and Charts
September 1-2

Electric Utility Business Fundamentals Webinar Series
September 1 – September 23

HAZWOPER 8-Hour First Responder Awareness & Recertification Training for Utility Personnel
September 2, 9, & 16

Electric Utility Financial Planning:  Balancing Uncertainty in an Uncertain World
September 17, 22, & 29

Leadership Skills: SLII Experience & Work Styles
October 21-22

For more information on these sessions, please contact Jenny Keesey, jenny@nwppa.org, or visit www.nwppa.org.