Business Boot Camp Sheds Light on HR Solutions

Last month, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a special edition of its annual Business Boot Camp business education program. With a collection of new laws and regulations passing in the past legislative session, the chamber’s Membership Committee decided to design a program around answering questions about these new regulations, while also providing information other HR issues for small businesses.

The session kicked-off with a presentation on how to effectively find, recruit, and retain top talent at your business. Jim Howard of Performance Resources, Inc. described how posting open positions and using technology in hiring has changed dramatically over the past few years. Making sure to leverage the correct posting sites, using technology effectively, and having the right questions ready in an interview are key components of matching the right talent to the right job. In the currently competitive labor market, these keys are more important than ever. 

The second section of the program featured Alisa Walker of McDonald Wholesale and Amanda Walkup of Hershner Hunter, LLP – two members of the Lane County HR Association with years of experience in compliance with new regulations. Walker focused on the now-in-effect Pay Equity law, explaining the bona fide factors that can delineate pay, as well as what not to do when creating a pay scale. Amanda Walkup first covered Paid Family, Medical, and Safe Leave, which will begin in Oregon in 2022. The basics of the system, as well as what to watch for during rulemaking were discussed before our presenter took our participants through other coming regulations to watch for in 2020 – an update to harassment in the workplace laws, pregnancy and breastfeeding accommodation, and more.

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will host three more Business Boot Camp sessions in May of 2020, during small business month. Check out how our previous Spring Sessions of our Business Boot Camp went here.

If there is a particular topic, idea, or issue you think should be included, please contact Manger of Membership Development Max Molzahn (max@springfield-chamber.org) and let us know!