Overtime issues continue to plague employers who can face substantial liability in the face of wage and hour class action suits and DOL wage and hour audits. Learn the correct way to calculate overtime and head off problems before they have a chance to cause you troubles.

Key takeaways:
• Learn what is and is not included in the regular rate of pay for OT.
• Learn partial overtime exemptions to 40 hour workweek.
• Apply concepts to OT calculation examples.

Leslie Sammon is an attorney with Axley Brynelson, LLP in Madison, Wisconsin. She represents and counsels employers on the full spectrum of labor and employment issues.
Room Number: Guava/Tamarind
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

Review legal requirements for communicating with employees about reasonable accommodations, discrimination and harassment investigations and employee discipline/termination of employment. The session will provide guidance on how to conduct a reasonable accommodation interview, how to respond to an employee report of discrimination or harassment and how to interview an employee who is under investigation for misconduct. The session will include live demonstrations with volunteers from the audience using fact simulations from recent court cases and employer experience. Audience members will have the opportunity to participate and to test their knowledge of the legal requirements in these complex and sometimes difficult situations. The moderator will share tools and guidelines for situation analysis and best practices.

Key takeaways:
• Legal compliance
• Practice real-time communication skills
• Shared interactive learning with other attendees

Attorney Julie Lewis is the Principal and owner of Lewis Law Office, LLC located in Madison, Wisconsin. Julie specializes in employee benefits and compensation-related tax law. Her previous roles include Chief Labor Negotiator for the State of Missouri and in-house legal counsel and Human Resources Director for a Wisconsin manufacturer. Currently, Julie is legal counsel to a multiple employer retirement trust
Room Number: Suite E
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: Early Career
Competency: Business Acumen

This session will provide a case study for implementing a formal phased retirement program, review considerations for HR Professionals during plan design, and share benefits experienced after successful implementation of the program. Several lessons learned during implementation and first year of the program will be reviewed. The employer’s policy, templates, and workflow processes will be provided so HR Professionals can easily implement a similar program.

Key takeaways:
• Provide benefits of a phased retirement program in the workplace.
• Share options and ideas for consideration when structuring a phased retirement program in order to maximize knowledge transfer, supporting succession planning.
• Provide attendees with templates to be able to leverage to implement their own phased retirement program.

Kristin Williams is Vice President, Human Resources at Woodward, Inc. Ms. Williams has responsibility for the Fuel Systems and Controls Business Unit and HR Compliance. She also participates in numerous global HR initiatives. Williams earned her Master’s degree from Ashford University and Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Room Number: Aralia/Mangrove
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: All Levels
Competency: Critical Evaluation

Inclusion & Diversity isn’t just about the traditional forms of diversity. It’s about having the right kind of workplace, an environment where everyone feels safe, welcome and heard. And it’s about being able to have dignity at work and dignity in the work we do. When all of these things come together, when we all strive to create the best working environment for everyone, magic happens!

Key takeaways:
• How inclusion contributes to success of business
• Knowledge of recent trends
• Review of best practices

Traci Licari has been a Benefit Consultant with Willis Towers Watson for the past 4 years. Over the past 17 years she has worked with clients to develop strategic solutions for their employee benefit programs and human capital needs. Willis Towers Watson is honored to have been recognized globally for our commitment to inclusion.
Room Number: Suite F
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

Top employers change the world by changing work. This keynote speech explores how contemporary HR professionals and business leaders step forward and rethink human capital management from the ground up by radically redefining the employee experience, taking a human-centered approach to people management, and fervently committing to corporate social responsibility. Laurie shares stories on the latest research, data, and evidence-based strategies for hiring, onboarding, talent acquisition, and retention. Finally, she covers topics such as workforce readiness, creative talent management policies, and peak business performance policies to move organizations forward in the new economy.

Key takeaways:
• Characterize the differentiating qualities of top employers and explain how wellbeing, connection, and corporate social responsibility are effective tools for improving the employee experience.
• Go beyond the 20th-century notion of "shareholder value" and articulate an in-depth understanding of how top employers create revenue, enhance profit, and attract and retain talent in competitive labor markets.
• Discover how to motivate workers from a place of trust, reward exceptional performance, and leverage the latest forms of "continuous listening technology" while encouraging leaders and workers to be vulnerable and human.

Laurie Ruettimann is a former human resources leader turned writer, speaker, and entrepreneur known for her commonsense style and straightforward approach to workforce issues. Her podcast, Let’s Fix Work, is one of the fastest-growing management and business podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Pandora. Laurie believes that self-leadership and individual accountability are the competencies required for the future of work.

Laurie’s career began in 1995 as an HR assistant for Leaf Candy Company, providing operations assistance and recruiting services for an hourly workforce in a manufacturing environment that was heavily unionized and staffed with immigrants from war-torn Bosnia. Since those glorious days, she’s worked at Monsanto, Alberto-Culver (now Unilever), Kemper Insurance (out of business), and Pfizer.

Laurie keynotes events all around the world, is featured on major media websites sharing wisdom and knowledge about HR and technology and is writing her second book called Let’s Fix Work with Henry Holt Books due out January 4, 2021. To learn more about Laurie, visit her website at https://laurieruettimann.com/.
Room Number: Africa West
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

In today’s ever-changing and competitive marketplace, the pressure to recruit and maintain top talent can feel overwhelming and impossible to achieve. What’s the answer? Culture! This session will examine common culture types, help participants recognize the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy cultures, and discuss HR’s role in creating cultures that build a highly engaged workforce. Participants will learn how to create an irresistible culture and discover the role of storytelling, myths, and metaphors to strengthen an organization’s culture. Humor, practical examples and true stories will be used to bring this important topic to life!

Key takeaways:
• The importance of having a strong organizational culture
• HR's role in fostering a high-performance culture
• Factors that shape an organization's culture and Considerations in creating and managing organizational culture

Keith Peterson is an enthusiastic marketer, trainer/educator, and keynote speaker. He’s a highly influential and collaborative executive best known for helping organizations build and create motivated, high-performing teams. As an HR industry veteran, Keith brings considerable knowledge and expertise from his 25-year career.

Room Number: Suite A
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

The course presenter has been involved in two active shooter situations He and his team, many of whom have actual active threat/shooter experience, have identified areas that can have a dramatic impact on prevention, response, and aftermath management of a violent workplace attack. This presentation gives an overview of essential organizational prevention concepts, identifies the critical response tactics, and prepares your organization for an attack. Lastly, it gives participants knowledge that can enable employees to be the first link in the chain of survival for those injured in an attack.

Key takeaways:
• (Prevention) Attendees will be able to identify the critical pieces of an active threat prevention strategy. They will be shown steps/processes an organization can implement to receive, investigate and manage potential violent threats and/or individuals.
• (Response) Attendees will learn two critical pieces in staff preparation and organizational response capabilities that will help reduce casualties and save lives (if an attack occurred). They will be given training concepts to assist in better preparing their organization in an effective and efficient manner for a violent attack.
• (First Care) Attendees will have the First Care Concept explained to them. They will learn how innocent bystanders can be the first link in the chain of survival if an attack were to occur and why more than just CPR and AED training are needed in preparation for a mass attack.

Capt. Mike Bolender has been involved in 2 active shooter situations in his 29-year law enforcement career. After these events and extensive research, he and his team created PWs three-pronged holistic approach, which is designed to empower organizations to better prevent, prepare and respond to active threat situations.

Room Number: Suite B
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

Today’s employees are struggling with financial and health-related issues that impact their wellbeing and employers are taking note. Designing benefit plans to help workers manage their wellbeing and remain productive at work is a top priority for organizations. Willis Towers Watson has been examining employee trends for nearly 20 years. In this session, we will share the latest Global Benefits Attitudes Survey results, an employee centric survey, data which is invaluable to employers. We will share practical examples of how employers can translate the employee survey data into impactful changes that support their organizations' health and wellbeing.

Key takeaways:
• Participants will learn about recent, impactful employee centric survey data.
• Participants will learn how they can maximize the value of their benefits by providing programs that better meet their employees’ needs.
• Learn why employers are recognizing the need to take an integrated approach to helping employees thrive physically, achieve financial security, attain emotional balance and build strong personal connections.

Beth Stewart joined Willis Towers Watson in 2010 as a Health Management Consultant for the Health and Benefits Practice. She supports clients by providing wellbeing consulting and expertise to Willis Towers Watson clients. Beth provides consulting to clients regarding the design, implementation and evaluation of worksite wellbeing programs. She provides guidance regarding incentive program design, strategy and implementation as it pertains to employee benefits and benefit plan design.

Jessica Raddemann joined Willis Towers Watson in 2017 as a Health Management Consultant for the Health and Benefits Practice. She provides wellbeing and health management consulting and expertise to Willis Towers Watson clients. Jessica provides client consultation to develop, implement and evaluate health management solutions focusing on optimum benefit integration, data analysis, strategic planning, program design, lifestyle management, and vendor choice. She believes in a total wellbeing approach to population health management integrating all aspects of work and life including physical, emotional, social, financial and health care consumerism.

Room Number: Suite C
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Critical Evaluation

This presentation will share the invaluable need of how D, E, and I can help an organization. You know it’s the right thing to do. It’s even profitable--we can prove it. The key is how to do it and do it right. The “D” is the easy part! The tougher part is the “E & I”, embracing equity and creating a culture of inclusion. We’ll talk about how to implement, create and design a DE&I program best fit for your organization. We’ll help HR professionals look at their culture, learn how to partner with leaders, and effectively help drive change.

Key takeaways:
• Understand the value and advantages of a diverse workforce
• Learn how to develop an organizational culture of inclusion
• Learn strategies to show your employees why diversity of people leads to diversity of ideas

Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry brings a vibrant presence to her training and presentations. Participants report that her programs are interactive and involving, yet comfortable and fun. With her casual, inclusive style, she has a reputation for excellence among participants. Cheryl’s background includes more than 18 years of facilitating and developing exceptional training programs.
Room Number: Suite D
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

Hate the grumbles, moans, and eyerolls when you announce an upcoming training? Ever start a training and realize you lost them at “Hello”? The problem is not the information you need to share. Your presentation skills aren’t even to blame. Most likely, it’s the training experience that needs a TWEAK! Attend this session and learn how to evaluate your current training experience. Discover tweaks you can make to deepen understanding. Learn how to increase authentic participation and communication. And, support a creative thinking culture within your organization that helps to solve problems.

Key takeaways:
• Use a Three-Pillar Framework to analyze current trainings to identify areas to tweak.
• Use the High-Quality Learning Experience Model to design a training experience that increases engagement, understanding, and investment from the learners.
• Use a simple rubric to generate solutions that address concerns regarding the new training experiences.

As an educational consultant, Heather Dean helps leaders, trainers and educators build more meaningful learning experiences. These experiences engage audiences, improve information recall, and improve comprehension. Her approach gives leaders tools to engage in the creative thinking process, create a deep understanding of complex topics, and assess how well people grasp the true concepts. Her work with educators and leaders improves professional satisfaction for the teacher and learner, increases motivation to continuously improve one’s craft, and extends learning for meaningful application to support problem solving. Heather has a Master’s in Education, is certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, and currently lives in Madison, WI.
Room Number: Suite E
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Communication

Most HR leaders today know that they will need new skills and a different mindset to meet the challenges from the future of work – but are they prepared? HR leadership will have to unlock the opportunities in the new world of work and to address pressing people challenges that impact a company’s bottom line. It’s crucial to move beyond yesterday’s HR models as the cost of inaction can be catastrophic for the company. The Future Chief People Officer: Imagine. Invent. Ignite. Joint research effort, conducted by Willis Towers Watson in collaboration with SHRM’s Executive Network, HR People + Strategy (HRPS).

Key takeaways:
• Who is a CPO? Help senior HR leaders and their organizations better understand how rapid technological innovation and the democratization of work are expanding the role of Chief People Officer.
• Provide both a reality check and action guide.
• Examines key skills, mindsets and behaviors that will help the Chief People Officer.

Traci Licari has been a Benefit Consultant with Willis Towers Watson for the past 4 years. Over the past 17 years she has worked with clients to develop strategic solutions for their employee benefit programs and human capital needs. Willis Towers Watson is honored to have been recognized globally for our commitment to inclusion.

Danielle Bewer is the Growth Leader for Willis Towers Watson. She focuses on strategic total rewards for large national and global companies.

Room Number: Suite F
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Global and Cultural Effectiveness

Is the joy gone from your job? Looking back on the first half of your career, do you question whether you’ve achieved your lifelong dreams? Do you worry you’ll have to stay in a joyless job for another decade (or two), just to take advantage of your peak earning years?

WELCOME TO A PROFESSIONAL MIDLIFE CRISIS.

As president and CEO of executive search firm Employment Resource Group, Sharon Hulce has guided thousands of executives and professionals in rediscovering work-life passion and purpose. She’s made it her life’s vocation to help people realize their own life’s work. She shows you how to bleed passion and energy back into your career. If you’re experiencing a professional midlife crisis, know you’re not alone. A better future awaits.

Want to renew your love of going to work?

Key takeaways:
• Creating your purpose and vision list
• Analyzing your natural gifts and passions
• How your personal and professional decisions will impact your career path
• What is the right next step – new job, entrepreneurialism or expanding your role in your current position

Sharon Hulce is President/CEO of Employment Resource Group, Inc. (ERG) and a 24-year veteran of Executive Search industry. Sharon is known in her industry as an innovation leader and works tirelessly on not only finding the right talent for her clients; she also works diligently on the empowerment and retention of that talent. Sharon clearly understands the emotional intelligence, competencies, knowledge and social interaction necessary to integrate new hires into a corporate culture for success.

Pinnacle Talent, a division of ERG provides consulting services in areas of values alignment, retention strategies, innovation summits for high performing and high potential employees, talent planning from strategic plan and succession planning.

Sharon is a frequent speaker at national conferences. She has received many awards for her work but is most excited about being a Forbes published author of “A Well Done Professional Midlife Crisis”. To learn more about Sharon, visit her website at www.ergsearch.com
Room Number: Suite GH
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Leadership and Navigation

Fringe Benefit Compensation - When is a Gift Card not a Gift? This session provides a fast-paced discussion of the rules regarding the tax status of non-plan fringe benefits and other items of value in the workplace. Audience members will test their knowledge of the IRS fringe benefit tax rules with a quiz and will receive a quick reference chart with tax rules for the most common fringe benefits.

Key takeaways:
• Employee compensation
• Employee benefits
• Tax rules that apply day to day to human resources work

Attorney Julie Lewis is the Principal and owner of Lewis Law Office, LLC located in Madison, Wisconsin. Julie specializes in employee benefits and compensation-related tax law. Her previous roles include Chief Labor Negotiator for the State of Missouri and in-house legal counsel and Human Resources Director for a Wisconsin manufacturer. Currently, Julie is legal counsel to a multiple employer retirement trust.

Room Number: Aralia/Mangrove
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Business Acumen

Attend this session to learn about a landmark study on the impact of social psychology on employee engagement, including how a psychology-based strategy more effectively retains talent. This approach to engaging employees will bring focus to your engagement efforts and end the cycle of relying on trendy, unproven perks or lackluster legacy programs that lost their impact long ago. In addition to learning about the Psychological Benefit Framework, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive activity designed to crowdsource ideas for how – tactically – to nurture the psychological benefits in your people to increase engagement.

Key takeaways:
• Understand the influence and impact of social psychology on employee engagement
• Gain working knowledge of the psychological benefits that support engagement and retention, including how organizations can nurture each of the psychological benefits within their talent
• Explore practical applications of how various employee programs or offerings impact psychological benefits differently, including how a company can personalize their offering for greater impact

An experienced leader passionate about improving the employee experience, Christina Zurek is a respected thought leader on the topics of employee engagement and workplace culture. She leverages a blend of practical experience, modern research techniques and innovative thinking in her role as an Insights and Strategy Leader at ITA Group where she directs the vision, position and evolution of ITA Group’s employee experience solution portfolio to meet the needs of clients in all industry verticals. She maintains several engagement and human resources-related industry credentials, including designation as a SHRM-CP and a Certified Engagement Practitioner through the Enterprise Engagement Alliance.
Room Number: Suite 1
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Consultation

With the unemployment rate in the United States at a low of around 3.6%, the competition for labor is at an all-time high. According to a December 2010 study from the Pew Research Center in D.C., starting on January 1, 2011, around 10,000 people a day would be turning 65, and this trend would continue until 2030, creating a high number of retirements. And then we have the younger workers who are very impatient when it comes to the next promotion. How can you ensure that your organization retains its high performers and can attract the right workers when you need them? Answer: By building a culture of succession planning.

Key takeaways:
• Why succession planning is important. •How to get employees excited about succession planning, therefore committed to your organization.
• What are the most important elements of a succession plan.
• How do you build a succession plan template to get started at your organization.

Yvonne Evers is the Founder & CEO of SUCCESSIONapp, LLC located in Madison. The company's mission is “To help executives and board members create succession plans to ensure smooth and successful transitions.” Yvonne’s career started in HR at a large hospital in Madison, WI and then Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN before landing in HR consulting for 16 years. More recently, she has focused on executive coaching and succession planning. She is the creator of SUCCESSIONapp®, an online tool that makes management and board succession planning easy. She is passionate about succession planning and wants organizations to be ready for the future, a future that will include a lot of turnover in the CEO and Management ranks.

Room Number: Suite 2
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Consultation

Today, the state of competitive market pay data is in a dichotomy of becoming more prevalent, and more restricted. Jobs are being crafted to have more unique skillsets or stripped down to simple competencies, where benchmarking becomes more and more difficult. Enter the job evaluation process, where your compensation program can take on the unique traits of your company and culture. Learn how you can use job evaluation in the 2020s to ensure a valid, reliable, and competitive pay program.

Key takeaways:
• Learn the history of job evaluation and its place in 2020s.
• Identify different types of internal job evaluation systems to craft internal job hierarchies.
• Use job evaluation to build, administer, and manage your compensation program more efficiently.

Matt Shefchik has over 20 years in the field of compensation. Consulting with clients on compensation and human resource management projects since 2002, his areas of concentration are employee and executive compensation, sales and incentive compensation, job evaluation, and employee engagement. He is an expert witness on compensation matters. In addition to his consulting experience, he was an executive officer of a human resources services firm.

Room Number: Suite 3
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Consultation

The "Politics in the Workplace” survey conducted by SHRM shows that talking about politics is on the rise. By the time of the conference (less than a month before the 2020 Presidential Elections) tensions and anxiety will be quite high and HR professionals will be preparing to deal with a great unknown – the elections results and aftermath. Our diverse identities are in the center of polarization that we experience as a society. They are being intentionally manipulated and unintentionally triggered. Thanks to social media and targeted political advertisement emotions (and stress) just keep going up. Leaving it all at home and come to work as if nothing is happening became practically impossible. Valuing diversity is easy. Navigating it in the heat of a political campaign is a different story. This session will not offer a short list of best practices that work regardless of organizational context. Instead, you will explore nuanced perspectives and complexities of addressing diversity-related “hot buttons”— whether or not pushed unintentionally by silent actions or hurtful words— and explore practical tools that allow for a more productive engagement in managing politics infused conflict. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and engage in hands-on learning of alternative ways for approaching politics at work and around Thanksgiving table.

Key takeaways:
• Identify practical and relevant steps to navigate the intersection between diversity and politics in the workplace
• Define/clarify the role of HR practitioners in engaging identity politics
• Build/expand a toolbox for facilitating productive interventions where diversity and politics are concerned

Tatyana Fertelmeyster, a founder and principal of Connecting Differences, LLC is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and an Intercultural and Diversity & Inclusion consultant with extensive expertise in complexities of cultural adjustment, team building, and conflict resolution. She is a co-creator and co-leader of the Diversity Hot Buttons Conversations – virtual space for HR & DEI professionals.
Room Number: Suite 4
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Global and Cultural Effectiveness

Effective managers are the key to any organization succeeding. If you are looking to bring a strategic edge to your organization, training and developing those managers is a key component. This presentation will show the importance of balancing performance management, strategic goals and initiatives, wants and needs of employees and managers, and tight budgets while working to implement a culture of learning. The outcome will be managers who are more effective and a workforce that is motivated, educated, and turns over infrequently. This specific session will focus on the SHRM competency of HR Technical Expertise and Practice, and target the key behaviors of consultation and business acumen. In this session, participants will learn to proactively initiate (or adeptly respond to a request for) a “management training program.” Specifically, they will learn techniques to identify need, gather relevant data, leverage performance management, and communicate findings to senior management. They will learn key areas to consider and standard traps to avoid falling into. Finally, they will learn how to keep a program energized and permanently ingrain it into the organization’s culture, all the while communicating its success in the language of business.

Key takeaways:
• Describe how critical thinking and careful diagnosis are key skills for HR professionals to properly develop and communicate a management training strategy.
• Discuss guidelines for identifying performance gaps in managers and techniques to remedy them.
• Develop the skills and ability to communicate the needs, design, process, and results, and how they align with corporate strategic initiatives to senior leadership.

Mack Munro, Founder/CEO of Boss Builders, is a consultant, author, and speaker. His MA degree is in Organizational Leadership; his BS degree is in Health Care. He’s a qualified facilitator of MBTI® and has developed several assessments and online tools. Mack hosts two podcasts: HR Oxygen and The Boss Builder.

Room Number: Suite 5
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

All organizations work to promote a productive and inclusive culture but instituting new processes or attempting to modify unproductive behaviors can be demanding given that "old habits die hard." Decades of research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology support this idiom, but they have also uncovered means to modify behavior, and even ways in which new habits can solidify long after attempts at an initial intervention. This talk will focus on small, oftentimes imperceptible habits known as microbehaviors. Many ways in which employees communicate with others occur via unconscious, learned microbehaviors developed through repetition. Signals that may be benign to the sender can be viewed as uncomfortable or even threatening to the receiver. This interactive presentation will explore the cognitive neuroscience underlying habit formation, especially in regard to communication that occurs non-verbally, and how we can identify and correct these bad habits to initiate positive change and promote a more respectful and productive workplace.

Key takeaways:
• Describe the loop at the core of every habit - cue, routine, reward - and the interesting cognitive neuroscience that underlies habit formation.
• Define and identify specific habits known as micro behaviors, especially those in the context of communication.
• Describe results from the field of cognitive neuroscience, identify how these habits can be modified in the short- and long-terms.

David Bailey is the Associate Dean of Natural Sciences and Professor of Biology at St. Norbert College, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Adjunct Faculty in General Education at Bellin College. He is a member of the Academic Affairs Leadership Council and the college's Core Leadership group at St. Norbert and leads the staff and operations of seven Natural Sciences departments. David has aided in the development of several recent partnerships, including that with the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy and with the School of Health Professions at Concordia University. With almost 20 years of teaching experience, David has expertise in courses at the intersection of Biology and Psychology, with such offerings as Brain and Behavior, Animal Behavior, and Neuroscience at St. Norbert, Medical Neuroscience for the Medical College of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Room Number: Suite 6
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Leadership and Navigation

Job satisfaction numbers are at historic lows, and an alarming number of employees regularly report that they are actively engaged in sabotaging their workplaces. Employers find that most of their efforts to boost morale are ineffective. Workplace expert Laurie Ruettimann has been at the forefront of workplace issues for a decade, and now she takes on the dirty secret of job dissatisfaction, holds it up to the light of day, and provides practical, honest advice for moving beyond the negatives. In this fresh, authentic talk, Ruettimann gives employees both the responsibility and opportunity to turn workplace dissatisfaction around.

Key takeaways:
• Ability to apply the definition of self-leadership to their jobs. When people express self-leadership, they fix work by fostering a culture of accountability and responsibility.
• Recognize and identify the primary experiences of happy employees and explore how to implement those significant career strategies into their own work experiences.
• Three ways to create a culture of wellbeing when they don't have direct authority.

Laurie Ruettimann is a former human resources leader turned writer, speaker, and entrepreneur known for her commonsense style and straightforward approach to workforce issues. Her podcast, Let’s Fix Work, is one of the fastest-growing management and business podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Pandora. Laurie believes that self-leadership and individual accountability are the competencies required for the future of work.

Laurie’s career began in 1995 as an HR assistant for Leaf Candy Company, providing operations assistance and recruiting services for an hourly workforce in a manufacturing environment that was heavily unionized and staffed with immigrants from war-torn Bosnia. Since those glorious days, she’s worked at Monsanto, Alberto-Culver (now Unilever), Kemper Insurance (out of business), and Pfizer.

Laurie keynotes events all around the world, is featured on major media websites sharing wisdom and knowledge about HR and technology and is writing her second book called Let’s Fix Work with Henry Holt Books due out January 4, 2021. To learn more about Laurie, visit her website at https://laurieruettimann.com/.

Room Number: Suite 7-8
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Leadership and Navigation

Workplace Health in America 2017, a study from the CDC highlights recent data on the prevalence of workplace wellness and from this study we know that 92% of U.S. employers with 500+ employees offer workplace health promotion programs aimed at improving the health and productivity of their workers. And the prevalence of wellness programs is 60% for employers with 50+ employees. As more and more employers continue to develop wellness support for their people, it is critical to ensure that the strategies are impactful in supporting the whole employee. Now more than ever – in the age of technology, increasing work demands, high-stress environments, work/life imbalance, financial strain, and general life challenges – supporting people to be healthy and well is increasingly complex, but also increasingly vital to your business. A systems thinking mindset will equip you to assess and plan a sustainable culture-focused wellbeing strategy, not just a program. In this session, you’ll learn and practice the habits of systems thinking to help you analyze your organization and link your strategy to both employee and organizational wellbeing.

Key takeaways:
• Describe and practice six habits of systems thinking as they relate to impacting wellness of the whole employee
• Identify the mental models at your organization associated with employee wellbeing
• Review a process to translate your systems thinking habits into action to impact sustainable employee wellbeing at your organization

Marissa Kalkman is the Executive Director of Wellness Council of Wisconsin, a statewide non-profit supporting over 400 organizations across the state in developing and sustaining results-oriented strategies to impact employee wellbeing. Marissa has a unique skillset in employee and organizational wellness gathered from experience as a consultant, program manager, health educator, and coach. She earned a BA in Psychology and Public Health and a MS in Health Promotion from Indiana University and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. She serves the community on the Board for Mental Health America WI and on Wisconsin’s State Health Assessment Steering Committee.
Katie Reiels serves as WCWI's Learning & Project Strategist where she supports the direction and development of programs and learning opportunities, supports community relationships and projects, and creates key resources for WCWI members. She holds a MS in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Health Promotion and Wellness from UW-Milwaukee.

Room Number: Portia/Wisteria
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Global and Cultural Effectiveness

Quit the Busy: Eliminate your daily chaos and start actually getting the work that you want to done Does your day reflect your mission? Or does your mission get a backseat to the daily crisis of the day? Improve your creativity, efficiency, and results by being Thoughtfully Fit®. Learn practical approaches to increase your productivity and decrease your crazy.

Key takeaways:
• Understand the truths and misconceptions of task-switching and multitasking.
• Identify the obstacles that get in their way of focusing on their mission and priorities.
• Design action steps to create a thoughtful and intentional schedule in order to maximize results.

Jill Mueller loves partnering with clients as a coach and trainer at Darcy Luoma Coaching & Consulting. She earned her Master’s in adult education at UW-Milwaukee and completed her coach training at UW-Madison. Jill is passionate about combining education and coaching to help adults find success in their work and life.
Room Number: Suite A
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Leadership and Navigation

With many states legalizing recreational and/or medical marijuana use, HR professionals need to understand the impact on the workplace. Topics covered will include an overview and update of current federal and state laws on the use of recreational and medical marijuana (including Wisconsin), employment protections provided by the laws, the interplay between the ADA and marijuana use, adapting to changes in drug testing, measuring impairment, and revising workplace policies and other practical next steps for employers.

Key takeaways:
• Understand the implications on the workplace of recreational and medical marijuana laws to prepare for likely changes to Wisconsin law.
• The current state of the law throughout the Midwest on medical and recreational marijuana use.
• Practical next steps to prepare the workplace for adapting to these new laws.

Jennifer Ciralsky is a shareholder with Littler’s Milwaukee office. Jennifer counsels’ employers on numerous areas of employment law, including accommodation issues, wage and hour compliance, employment policies, and complying with employment laws. Jennifer also represents employers in employment litigation. Jennifer received a law degree and MBA from Georgetown University.

Mike Gotzler is an attorney with Littler’s Madison office. Mike advises and represents employers in all aspects of employment law, including employee leave issues, independent contractor status, and issues surrounding joint. A former in-house general counsel, Mike enjoys the challenging of finding practical solutions to complicated workplace issues.

Room Number: Suite B
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

If your company wants to explore competitive and even “cutting edge” attraction, retention, and incentive options for executives who not only have valuable skills, but who have developed highly trusted and tenured relationships key to delivery of the organization’s core capabilities and purpose, then you need to design a Purple Unicorn Executive Benefits Package. In this session we will use a case study example to define a set of extended benefits, comp and retirement vehicles geared to enhance executive engagement. These programs take into account the career stage for each executive and provide a defined path for executives to retire when the time comes. We will explore unique benefits such as high-powered NQ deferred compensation solutions, cash LTIP programs, concierge health and welfare, supplemental ADD, charitable giving, leaves and sabbaticals, and retirement step-down programs. We will also explore the competitiveness of these benefit programs by referencing the 2020 Newport Group Executive Benefits Survey.

Key takeaways:
• Appraise cutting-edge creative trends in Executive compensation and benefits that are responsive to the HOT talent market.
• Compare and evaluate the different methodologies behind executive benefit vehicles and their perceived value.
• Analyze the involved executive benefits with respect to competition through Newport’s 2020 Executive Benefit Survey.

Rena Somersan is a Managing Principal with Newport Group. She has over twenty years of consulting and industry experience assisting clients in executing their strategic human resources and compensation initiatives. Her focus has been in the areas of workforce and executive compensation, performance management initiatives, leadership development, talent motivation and retention.

Dennis Koletsos is an Engagement Leader in Newport’s Compensation Consulting Practice. Dennis has more than twenty years of executive and workforce compensation experience servicing clients across myriad industries. He specializes in the design of executive compensation programs with emphasis on long-term cash and equity-based programs, and board of director pay programs.
Room Number: Suite C
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Consultation

This energetic presentation will explore LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning) vocabulary, employment law/statutes, policies and "what if" scenarios. In accordance with The SHRM BoCK goals, we will define the standards for knowledge, strategies and competencies required of HR professionals around the world (well, at least in Wisconsin). From her recent TEDx Talk, Lisa will define 3 ways you can become a better LGBTQ ALLY, by Showing, Shifting and Shaping!

Key takeaways:
• Knowledge of the LGBTQ vocabulary, proper terms as to not misgender someone.
• Strategies when working with LGBTQ employees, families and your surrounding communities. This will include forms, websites, marketing, and social media.
• Competencies regarding local, state and federal guidelines, best practices, and laws regarding the LGBTQ population.

After her first TEDx Talk, Lisa Koenecke continues to educate on the power of Inclusion. She received her Diversity & Inclusion Certification from Cornell University and is a Counselor Educator for Lakeland University. She has presented in 20 states with the goal of all 50! From Keynotes to breakouts, this magnetic speaker will make you think, connect and laugh!

Room Number: Suite D
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Global and Cultural Effectiveness

Workplace learning once required programming. Today, it requires culture. In this session, I review the differences between programs and learning culture. I then provide a blueprint for HR and talent development professionals who are looking to establish or strengthen the culture of learning in their own organizations. I identify three specific practices that the dynamic learning cultures share. These practices include empowering employees to share what they know, rewarding employees as they develop career skills, and providing technology that facilitates the free transfer of knowledge.

Key takeaways:
• Contrast learning programs and learning culture, articulating why culture matters more than programming in the digital-age workplace.
• Identify three specific practices for moving from learning programs to a learning culture and will reflect on strategies for adopting those practices in their organizations.
• Develop a personalized action plan for implementing learning culture strategies within their organization.

Ryan Panzer, CPLP, is a Senior Instructional Designer with Zendesk, and the Vice President of Professional Development for the Madison, WI Chapter of the Association for Talent Development. Ryan is focused on helping organizations develop cultures of learning, coaching, and collaboration.

Room Number: Suite E
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

According to a recent study by Deloitte, deal makers anticipate merger and acquisition (M&A) activity will continue at a fast pace, extending the prolonged boom in deal making that has resulted in more than $10 trillion in domestic transactions since 2013. Increasingly, HR is continuing to be expected to play a more active role in integration activities – from initial due diligence to post-merger integration. This session will include practical methods and case studies of how HR can assist M&A challenges such as incompatible cultures, challenging management styles, poor motivation, loss of key talent, lack of communication, diminished trust and uncertainty of long-term goals.

Key takeaways:
• Describe common reasons why M&As fail and make the case for how HR’s involvement in M&As can prevent the failures.
• Outline and share stories of HR guiding principles and leading practices in M&A.
• Identify specific tools that HR should utilize in M&As, including HR Due Diligence, Cultural Integration, Communication Strategies, Organizational Structure Design, HR Process and Policy Integration, Staffing and Selection, Retention Strategies, Workforce Transitioning

Tom O’Rourke designs and leads organizational consulting projects and teams focused on change management, M&A, workforce planning, talent management, organizational design, employee retention, competency models, high performance cultures, and building client consulting capability – serving companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 15. Tom’s previous roles include serving as a Partner at one of the world’s largest business consulting firms (Accenture) where he was a member of the North American HR Transformation leadership team and leader of the North American HR Transformation practice for the Resources Operating Group. Most recently, Tom led the Human Capital and Transformation practice for the St. Charles Consulting Group.

Room Number: Suite F
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Business Acumen

Stepping up and having a difficult conversation is no easy task. It’s uncomfortable, stressful and certainly no fun. But if we choose to not say anything, the issue is likely to not get better and potentially even get worse. This program focuses on how to effectively engage in open, meaningful dialogue which will help us more fully understand one another and achieve enhanced, more productive and positive relationships. Learn to share tough messages in a way that maximizes candor and minimizes defensiveness, using six powerfully effective strategies.

Key takeaways:
• Realize how someone’s perception of intent will influence behavior during the discussion, determine the correct timing and location for it, and effectively begin the conversation in a way that invites dialogue.
• Encourage the other person to share his/her thoughts and feelings, acknowledge your understanding of what was communicated, and ask clarifying questions so productive conversations can take place without diluting the message.
• Reduce defensiveness when sharing a tough message and recognize natural tendencies when emotions begin to elevate—quickly correcting unintentional poor behavior and getting the discussion back on track.

TRACY BUTZ is an engaging and inspiring Certified Speaking Professional® with 20+ years of experience with clients including the U.S. Army, Motorola and Subway. She is a workplace culture expert and also a best-selling author, with her fifth book published in 2019. Tracy’s focus is helping you make positive behavior changes in life and work. To learn more about Tracy, visit her website at https://www.tracybutz.com/.

Room Number: Suite GH
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Communication

Even as the economy has begun, at last, to expand at a more rapid pace, growth in wages and benefits for most American workers has continued its decades-long stagnation. Although offering minimal wages and benefits is the most common way companies try to lower their costs, data indicate that this may not be the most effective strategy. In fact, low wages paradoxically generate a variety of negative employee behaviors that add to the overall cost of doing business. Although companies rarely calculate these costs, they often turn out to be substantial. Research shows the following: 1.) Employees at low-wage companies have significantly higher turnover rates than those at well-paying companies. The total costs of such turnover has been found at the equivalent of one month’s salary for unskilled workers and more than a year’s salary for skilled ones. 2.) In almost all industries the most profitable companies are those with the lowest overall operating costs, and not those that pay the least. 3.) Companies with generous wages and benefits often have employees who are both more loyal and productive. 4.) In the retail industry, companies with generous wages and benefits often have the lowest shrinkage (employee theft). Despite evidence to the contrary, most companies continue to believe they face a painful choice between offering high employee wages and low customer prices. During this presentation, we will explore how companies with high employee wages and benefits often create a competitive advantage.

Key takeaways:
• Examine statistics on employment and wages and provide data documenting the growth of low-wage jobs.
• Examine data and present case examples related to the impact of low and high wages on companies, including turnover, employee engagement, productivity, shrinkage (theft), and, ultimately, profitability.
• Explore how to make the case for competitive wages based on the financial benefits received.

Rebekah Temple is a Senior Consultant advising clients on a broad range of compensation matters, including compensation strategy and philosophy, compensation program design, compensation benchmarking, compensation structure design, and compensation practices and policies. As a Senior Consultant, Rebekah leads project teams to deliver high-quality results to clients. Rebekah has more than 10 years of compensation consulting experience as well as experience in compensation administration. Rebekah received a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Journalism and Mass Communication and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After working for several years, Rebekah returned to UNC Chapel Hill where she earned a Master of Public Administration degree. Additionally, Rebekah holds the SHRM-SCP designation.

Erin Jensen is a human resources leadership executive. She worked for Walmart Stores Inc. for 28 years, where she held the positions of International Strategy, Director of Labor Relations, and Senior Director HR. She currently is the Vice President of Human Resources for Goodwill of SC Wisconsin.

Room Number: Aralia/Mangrove
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

Talent Brand: HR or Marketing? How about Both. With today’s talent shortage, learn how to effectively partner with Marketing to create a talent brand people are drawn to. Sharing Associated Bank’s journey to bring Human Resources and Marketing together to promote the Talent Brand for the organization, Jennifer and Meagan will speak to how they’ve done this across multiple channels and where they’ve found the most success: social media. This powerful marketing tool not only plays a significant role in talent recruitment, but also serves as a critical piece for colleague engagement and retention as colleagues publicly take pride in their organization. You’ll journey with them through the obstacles faced in a highly regulated industry.

Key takeaways:
• Collaboration
• Relationship Management
• Consultation

Jennifer Bauer brings together more than 20 years of legal, administrative and HR experience to serve the role of senior talent acquisition consultant at Associated Bank. With an education in marketing, she's been able to bridge a partnership between marketing and HR to promote the company's talent brand through social media.

Meagan Lichtenwalner is a digital marketing expert who has worked across industries to create omni-channel consumer-facing and HR marketing strategies to help organizations excel digitally. Meagan currently manages social media and community marketing at Associated Bank, where she advanced a united marketing approach to serve all stakeholders within the organization.

Room Number: Suite 1
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

Just when you thought you mastered juggling legal issues under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family Medical Leave Act when dealing with physical impairments and injuries, you realize you are also being confronted with employee’s mental health issues that affect the workplace. Mental illnesses and the stigma that can accompany them open up employers to a multitude of dangers, including legal challenges, lost performance and productivity, and more. In addition, employers continue to be challenged with substance abuse issues, which often accompany mental health issues. Join us for a practical and informative discussion about how to best handle these sensitive topics and situations in the workplace.

Key takeaways:
• How to confidently and effectively manage issues involving mental health issues while minimizing the legal risks that can arise.
• Recognize when you may be dealing with a hidden mental or psychiatric disability and what steps to take in those situations, including how to engage in the interactive process.
• Respond when a mental impairment may pose a direct threat to the health or safety of an employee or the employee’s co-workers

Mark A. Johnson has a wide range of experience representing employers in matters involving labor and employment law. Mark has represented employers in hundreds of lawsuits in federal and state courts and before federal and state administrative agencies in Wisconsin and throughout the country. Mark’s practice also includes advising human resource professionals on best practices and how to avoid litigation. Mark is a frequent speaker on topics related to employment law and human resources.

Room Number: Suite 2
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

This session will provide an overview of the pharmacy benefit landscape today and into the next five years. Attendees will leave with an understanding of the pharmacy benefit market and its impact on health plan spending. We will also provide an overview of a number of best practices in selecting a PBM consultant, a PBM partner and emerging strategies for managing cost. We will also provide a case study of a successful strategy that was implemented for a client.

Key takeaways:
• An overview of the coming pipeline of specialty drugs likely to impact employers now and into the next five years.
• Insight to self-insured groups to select a consultant and PBM partner to help manage the pharmacy benefit spend.
• Emerging strategies that employers are utilizing to manage healthcare costs, eliminate waste and improve the quality of care for employees.

Schuyler File, JD, provides consulting that leverages technology to help organizations create an environment for successful attraction and retention of the talent needed for an organization to thrive. Prior to joining BSG, Schuyler practiced law with a national health law firm where he advised health care providers on a wide range of corporate and transactional matters. He is passionate about helping organizations navigate the shift from fee-for-service health care to a value-based care approach that results in better quality health care and improved cost management outcomes for employers. Schuyler received his J.D. from Regent University School of Law and completed his undergraduate at Hillsdale College.

Room Number: Suite 3
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Business Acumen

This Step Up: Equity Matters workshop offers an understanding of how biases shape our views and impact our workplaces. When we can step back to recognize and own the biases we see, we can create more equitable, inclusive and diverse organizations. Participants will take time to reflect on their inner biases to learn how to move beyond guilt and toward positive intention and action.

Key takeaways:
• Learn the basic characteristics of implicit bias.
• Practice recognizing, owning, and disrupting their own biases
• Resources and tools to further their own company’s goals for equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging

Amy Kesling is a cofounder of Step Up: Equity Matters. Based in Madison, Step Up: Equity Matters promotes equitable and inclusive workplaces through engaging learning experiences and change management. Amy loves connecting people and processes for more equitable and sustainable outcomes. Amy’s background is in project management, facilitation, consulting, nonprofit leadership, and operations. Amy utilizes emotional intelligence, humor, and empathy to design and deliver engaging workshops where participants are valued as experts of their own experience.
Tania Ibarra is a dynamic and agile solutionary who strives to help people reach their full potential. She believes in powerful environments where people can contribute their talents, knowledge, and skills freely. She is a founder, owner, and facilitator at Step Up: Equity Matters, a movement for workplace equity, as well as a financial professional with experience spanning private, public, and nonprofit sectors. She is also a founding board member of the Latino Professionals Association and serves on the boards of Kids Forward and Downtown Madison Inc.
Room Number: Suite 4
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Communication

Leadership is not a title but action you exhibit daily through being the example. The foundation for extraordinary leaders comes down to extraordinary thinking. How you think creates the action you take in the moment as part of the process that leads to desired results. This foundation starts with building a growth mindset that embraces a process to become the example with certain habits and disciplines. This inspires others to be responsible and accountable for their own tasks so they can come together and form an interdependent work environment. Transparent leaders create other leaders to build momentum and sustain growth over time. Even through difficult periods of time. Come learn the methodology how to think from a growth mindset to become an extraordinary leader.

Key takeaways:
• How a Growth versus Fixed Mindset creates extraordinary thinking as an effective leader of influence.
• Process of leading by example versus managing people to become an extraordinary leader and create winning teams that scale business growth.
• Two daily habits or disciplines that will transform your leadership capabilities on a consistent basis and raise your level of influence.

Christopher Salem, CEO of CRS Group Holdings, LLC mentors and consults with entrepreneurs, business leaders, sales professionals, and companies to build and protect their brands by raising their level of influence as trusted advisors to maximize their results. This starts from the inside out building your level of influence by shifting from a fixed to growth mindset and adopting a process to scale your business through raising your level of influence. His program also helps companies to create an interdependent work environment and thriving culture through effective communication, transparent leadership, and higher engagement.

Room Number: Suite 5
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, the expectations of the HR professional to move from a historically transactional and policy-based function to more strategic and consultative are at an all-time high. Nowhere is this demand in expectations more evident than in the role of the HR Business Partner. The biggest challenge to successful partnering is often in the skills and competencies required of this role. In this session, we’ll cover the eight key competencies of a strategic and consultative HR Business Partner. Participants will also share their experiences and best practices around the HR Business Partner role.

Key takeaways:
• Describe how trends are evolving in the expectations of HR and how these trends impact the role of the HR Business Partner.
• Understand HR Business Partner interaction models and the corresponding eight key competencies of an effective HR Business Partner.
• Identify the key/first steps in building strategic HR Business Partner capabilities in their organization.

Tom O’Rourke designs and leads organizational consulting projects and teams focused on change management, M&A, workforce planning, talent management, organizational design, employee retention, competency models, high performance cultures, and building client consulting capability – serving companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 15. Tom’s previous roles include serving as a Partner at one of the world’s largest business consulting firms (Accenture) where he was a member of the North American HR Transformation leadership team and leader of the North American HR Transformation practice for the Resources Operating Group. Most recently, Tom led the Human Capital and Transformation practice for the St. Charles Consulting Group.

Room Number: Suite 6
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Business Acumen

The Employee Experience (EX) greatly impacts both business and people results of individuals and leaders at every level. Join Daniel Stewart in this mega session to refresh and build on the tools and systems shared at the ‘19 WI SHRM conference related to designing and managing the Employee Experience. EX captures all of the ups and downs of an employee’s journey, especially key moments. It’s about doing as well for your employees as you do for your customers. Daniel will share trends, best practices, and tools allowing you to design a stronger, more compelling employee experience in your organization.

Key takeaways:
• Identify what Employee Experience (EX) is, what it is NOT, and how it transcends employee engagement
• Understand examples of how leading organizations are designing and managing successful employee experiences
• Develop a plan for your organization to strengthen your employee experience to attract, develop, and retain the right talent

Daniel J. Stewart is a sought-after organizational consultant and coach with proven experience advising senior leaders, leading change, and designing leadership-rich organizations. He leads Stewart Leadership’s extensive consulting practice, business development, and international partnerships. He is the co-author of the award-winning book, LEAD NOW! A Guide for Results-Driven Leaders. To learn more about Daniel, visit his website at www.stewartleadership.com.

Room Number: Suite 7-8
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: Senior
Competency: Business Acumen

In this session, we will help you learn how to navigate common COBRA pitfalls by outlining COBRA requirements and deadlines and discuss the financial consequences of failure to comply. You will learn the common COBRA mistakes and ways to correct COBRA mistakes. We will review fact pattern examples and outline some current court cases that drive home the importance of COBRA compliance. Whether you administer COBRA on your own or through a third party, this is a great way to learn about the liabilities involved in COBRA mistakes, this session is for you!

Key takeaways:
• Learn what are the common COBRA mistakes
• Learn the consequences of COBRA mistakes
• Learn best practice ways to address and correct COBRA mistakes

Sue Sieger has over 30 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. As senior compliance consultant at Employee Benefits Corporation, she has worked with thousands of employers and has become a leading specialist in employee benefits. Ms. Sieger is a frequent speaker on employee benefits both locally and nationwide.
Room Number: Portia/Wisteria
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

Employee interviews are often the key to the success of an investigation of critical workplace issues such as alleged harassment, discrimination and employee theft. Finding the truth depends on being as effective as possible when conducting these interviews. This session will discuss effective ways to start and end employee interviews, provide key insights on helpful preparation, and outline a method for asking questions that is proven to capture the most information and fill in the gaps.

Key takeaways:
• How to uncover the truth during interviews while minimizing the risks that can arise during investigation of high-profile workplace disputes.
• Who should investigate, what an investigation should look like, how to conduct interviews, how to deal with complications during an interview and how to finalize an investigation.
• How to recognize and manage the legal risks that are associated with interviews during a workplace investigation into matters such as alleged harassment, discrimination and employee misappropriation.

Mark A. Johnson has a wide range of experience representing employers in matters involving labor and employment law. Mark has represented employers in hundreds of lawsuits in federal and state courts and before federal and state administrative agencies in Wisconsin and throughout the country. Mark’s practice also includes advising human resource professionals on best practices and how to avoid litigation. Mark is a frequent speaker on topics related to employment law and human resources.

Room Number: Guava/Tamarind
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: All Levels
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

When the FMLA, ADA and Worker's Compensation laws apply to an employee's situation, HR professionals must manage a complex set of interconnected obligations. In this session, the speaker will review scenarios from recent Wisconsin case law that demonstrate the range of fact patters and ask the audience to apply their expertise to resolve the issues presented. Attendees will engage in outcomes-based analysis and learn from each other as we work through each example. The session will include an FMLA ADA Worker's Compensation decision tree and a guide that addresses the latest topics including medical marijuana, paid parental leave and medical data privacy.

Key takeaways:
• Legal compliance
• Managing competing statutory obligations
• Policy guidance to anticipate future situations

Attorney Julie Lewis is the Principal and owner of Lewis Law Office, LLC located in Madison, Wisconsin. Julie specializes in employee benefits and compensation-related tax law. Her previous roles include Chief Labor Negotiator for the State of Missouri and in-house legal counsel and Human Resources Director for a Wisconsin manufacturer. Currently, Julie is legal counsel to a multiple employer retirement trust.

Room Number: Aralia/Mangrove
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

This presentation examines the legal and practical considerations of faith and religion in the workplace. It will answer questions such as: Can an employer question whether someone’s religious beliefs are sincerely held? What can employees say about their faith at work? Can someone be terminated for sharing their faith? Are owners or executives allowed to share their faith? When does sharing faith become unlawful harassment? How should religious holidays be celebrated at work? How should a complaint about the religious expression of another be handled? What are the legal limits of religious accommodation? When is religion a bona fide occupational qualification?

Key takeaways:
• Understand the applicable laws and recent court decisions on the scope and nature of legal protections, religious accommodation, and parameters around sharing faith and religion in the workplace.
• Identify and understand the interplay between competing interests and diverse perspectives concerning faith and religion at work.
• Develop legal and practical ways to balance the competing interests and manage and resolve conflict.

Lisa Bergersen is Founder of EngageHR Law, an employment law and HR consulting firm and is also Of Counsel with the employment law firm of Buelow, Vetter, Buikema, Olson and Vliet. Lisa is a licensed attorney who has 20 years’ experience as an employment lawyer and 11 years’ experience as a Human Resources Director . Lisa is SPHR and SHRM-SCP certified. Lisa is a graduate of the State Bar’s G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy and recently completed the Association of Workplace Investigators’ Training Institute. For twenty years, Lisa was a contributor to the Wisconsin State Bar’s Employment Law Book Series. She is a member of Metro Milwaukee SHRM, the Local Government and Labor & Employment Law sections of the Wisconsin State Bar, and the Association of Workplace Investigators.

Room Number: Portia/Wisteria
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: All Levels
Competency: Critical Evaluation

Despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, disability discrimination remains among the top three claims filed at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) significantly changed its coverage and scope by expanding the definition of who is disabled and entitled to reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Complicating matters, Wisconsin law provides arguably broader and different protections than the ADA to employees with disabilities. As a result, employers must spend more time responding to reasonable accommodation requests, or face claims of discrimination. In this presentation, attendees will learn about the significant impact of 7th Circuit case law on their organization, key differences between the ADA and Wisconsin state law, and best practices for handling all reasonable accommodation requests.

Key takeaways:
• Review recent 7th circuit case law shaping the duty to provide reasonable accommodations.
• Identify key differences between the federal ADA and Wisconsin law.
• Learn simple strategies to ensure compliance and reduce risks of claims when responding to reasonable accommodation requests

Rae Anne Beaudry is an experienced negotiator and public spokesperson with a primary focus on topics such as healthcare cost containment, medical plan basics and ancillary lines. She is a problem solver who explains highly complex material in simple and authentic terms to enable organizations to make the best decisions.

Room Number: Tamboli/Aloeswood
Credit Hours: 1.0
Level: Midlevel
Competency: Human Resource Expertise

Every company has a unique story and compelling reasons for why you should work there. It's a feeling you get when you walk into work. Trust among peers. It's your best recruitment strategy.

Often, we look to best-in-class case studies to see how others are translating their stories. But here's a harsh reality. Best-in-class does not mean best for you. The right candidate won't react to just any interaction - they want to connect with who you are. There's a new standard of excellence among these high-demand people. You'll learn the new rules and how to stand-out in a world of look-a-likes and brands that claim to be different.

Key takeaways:
• Be Human Yourself – Remember what it feels like to love work and learn how to translate your culture and passion into compelling content.
• Getting Unstuck – Move from traditional to ahead of the curve with stories that inspire.
• Create Curiosity – Translate your story into demand with every candidate touchpoint from e-mails to the career website and job posts.
• Invest in Storytelling – Develop relationships with employees at all levels of the organization through storytelling.
• Define the Difference – Learn how to dial into your unique advantages and translate best-in-class into best for you.

Katrina Kibben has been an army brat, social media ninja, employer brand copywriter, and keynote speaker. But today she has the best job of all. As CEO of Three Ears Media, Katrina takes a high-energy, humorous, and non-traditional approach to writing and coaching teams of all sizes on how to write compelling job postings and recruitment marketing content that will convert passive, online candidates into their next great hire.

Katrina wrote the book on job postings and has been sharing her ideas on stages and online for over 10 years. Her articles are featured on Fortune Magazine, LinkedIn's Talent Blog and more. To learn more about Katrina, visit her website at https://www.threeearsmedia.com/.

Room Number: Africa West
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

In a recent HR Magazine article, “Business Acumen: Building a Better HR,” professor Peter Cappelli, director of The Wharton School's Center for Human Resources, acknowledges that “HR is often perceived by corporate leaders as being out of step with the rest of the business.” To help counteract that perception, he provides great advice for HR professionals about how to think and act more strategically and from a business perspective—to develop their business acumen. This presentation covers the following: What is financial acumen and why is it important? Get to know the basics of financial acumen, practice talking the talk and connect the dots to walk the talk.

Key takeaways:
• Identify the basic concepts of financial acumen in an organization.
• Develop HR professionals to become better partners and better leaders by understanding business acumen.
• Identify potential learning and development opportunities for your workforce to develop better financial acumen.

Ann Martel is a highly regarded business leader with a passion for delivering high-energy presentations and classes on the topics of financial acumen and improving business decisions. Clients such as University of Wisconsin, Gehl Foods and Honeywell have praised her business knowledge, strategic approach and “real world” insight.

Room Number: Suite A
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

As an employer, you may be looking at the dizzying array of non-traditional employee benefit offerings and wondering which ones are right for your company. In this session, we will discuss the non-traditional employee benefit offerings employees demand today – including their pros and cons and compliance considerations. We will also share a decision-making and implementation strategy to help you sort through the different benefits options and decide which, if any, to introduce to your organization.

Key takeaways:
• Understand the definition of “non-traditional benefits.”
• Identify which non-traditional benefits are most attractive to your current employees.
• Learn the various legal, social, and ethical implications of non-traditional benefits.

Rae Anne Beaudry is an experienced negotiator and public spokesperson with a primary focus on topics such as healthcare cost containment, medical plan basics and ancillary lines. She is a problem solver who explains highly complex material in simple and authentic terms to enable organizations to make the best decisions.

Room Number: Suite B
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Communication

Every company has to balance its aspirations for employee benefits with practical, financial realities. Focusing on financial wellness can benefit your organization from both a benefits perspective and a cost-focused perspective. There's a lot of talk about financial wellness, and the truth is that it can mean different things to different people. But where employers are concerned, financial wellness is now seen as an essential business element. Why? Because good things happen when employees have their finances under control: They are more engaged on the job, better able to save for retirement, less likely to switch jobs, and even physically healthier. Employers understand that workplaces function better when employees are financially fit. Providing employees with tools and techniques for managing financial stress can translate to a more productive workforce. And, frankly, that's good for everybody.

Key takeaways:
• identifying needs of your employee base, understanding the ROI on Financial Wellness, and best practices surrounding implementation.
• Health/Wealth Wellness...why it matters. Studies have the shown the hidden cost of unretirable employees can be very expensive in addition to unmotivated work force.
• Learn what other competing organizations provide to garner and retain talent.

Todd Barden is Corporate Retirement Director at Morgan Stanley in downtown Milwaukee and has been working closely with Plan Sponsors to help American workers retire with dignity since 1990. “Helping people retire successfully is not just a job for me, but a passion. When employees are better prepared for retirement, I believe everyone wins: your company, your employees, and society.” Todd has earned the significant industry designations of Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P®), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®). The C(k)P® designation represents the pinnacle of achievement for professional retirement advisors. Todd received the C(k)P® designation through the retirement advisor University (TRAU) at UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Executive Education Program. Todd utilizes behavioral finance principles with assisting plan sponsors in their efforts to improve participant outcomes. Todd is adjunct lecturer for the Plan Sponsor U.

Eric’s strong communications skills, along with his deep financial experience, have helped him provide value to his clients as a Regional Sales Consultant in the U.S. Intermediaries—Retirement Group at T. Rowe Price, where he oversees the Upper Midwest region. Eric’s mission is to help a diverse group of financial professionals elevate their businesses to higher levels. He is focused on helping advisors, brokers, and record keepers add value to their clients’ investment strategies, as well as remain informed about trends in the retirement marketplace. Eric currently resides in Glen Ellyn, Illinois with his wife Suzanne and their two children, Kayla and Dylan. In his spare time, Eric enjoys coaching youth sports and is an active member of the Glen Ellyn Youth Athletics Program.

Room Number: Suite C
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

Human Resources is expected to have all the answers so sometimes it can also feel like you're the complaint department. How can you stay calm, upbeat, and motivated despite other people’s complaining, grumpiness, rudeness, or pessimism? This program is all about helping you (and your people) be your best. Even though it can be difficult to change colleagues, staff, or even your boss, you can reduce your stress and frustration by changing how you respond. Staying positive and calm is easier when you learn how to build your immunity. This dynamic program uses Tina’s five-step “Immunity to Negativity Formula™” to show you how to use simple tools to stay in control and choose the best response for each situation. This is a key skill we can build to optimize our team interactions, colleague dynamics, and overall relationships. Imagine how this approach could reduce complaints, increase collaboration, and actually elevate your organization's culture.

Key takeaways:
• Discover easy and fun ways you can prepare your mindset and practice staying calm ahead of time to make it easier to choose the best response during your "challenging" interaction.
• Explore how you can pause and notice your emotions and thoughts in the moment so you can avoid reacting and feeling stressed.
• Identify options so you can choose the best response for yourself, the other person, and your organization based on the situation.

Tina Hallis, Ph.D. is certified in Positive Psychology and founder of The Positive Edge. She worked for 20+ years in biotechnology before discovering Positive Psychology in 2011. She has since taught thousands of people that positivity is a choice and how to make that choice easier so they can bring their best to work and life.

Room Number: Suite E
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Communication

We live in an era of constant innovation and change, and this is no different for HR. Yet trying to keep up with HR innovations and future HR trends while managing your day-to-day work is challenging. Annually, QTI surveys hundreds of employers to better understand HR challenges and leading-edge trends to overcome these challenges. This survey explores topics such as talent attraction and retention strategies, compensation and benefit plans, diversity and inclusion programs, and more. Join us for the unveiling of our latest survey results where we will provide you with data to drive decision making and actionable solutions to help your organization reach its full potential through people. Session attendees will receive a complimentary copy of survey results to support their 2021 HR strategic plans.

Key takeaways:
• Learn the top HR trends and what high performing organizations are doing to attract and retain talent.
• Learn the salary budget trends to budget appropriately for your 2021 payroll.
• Learn how your organization can enhance its HR practices to be more competitive.

Summer is QTI’s VP, HR Consulting and previously worked at Mercer, DayNine-Accenture, and HCSC. Summer also serves as a SHRM Learning System instructor, Graduate School of Banking – HR Management School faculty member, and UW-Madison HR guest lecturer. She holds a BBA degree in MHR from UW-Madison and the SHRM-SCP designation.

Tara is QTI’s President, with over 13 years of successful experience in human resources, sales and marketing. Tara serves on the board for UW-Madison Family Business Center and Goodwill of South-Central WI. She holds a Master’s in Sports Administration and a Bachelor’s in HR Management and Marketing from MN State-Mankato.

Room Number: Suite F
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Consultation

The funniest HR podcast in the 'verse! A live recording of one of the most popular HR podcasts (averaging approximately 2K downloads per episode) with Marc and Kate. The pod will cover a ripped-from-the-headlines hostile work environment case or story, listener submitted story, Wisconsin-based guest to discuss a real-life work environment, and/or audience questions. The pod runs between 30-60 minutes.

Key takeaways:
• Learn up-to-date strategies to prevent harassment in the workplace
• Understand trends in hostile work environment cases and changes to law
• Learn from colleagues on effective investigative and prevention techniques

Kate Bischoff is an overly enthusiastic, sarcastic, and opinionated management-side employment attorney and human resources professional. She works closely with management, HR folk, and technology companies to improve organizations and make it easier to recruit and retain talent through having easy-to-understand policies, easy-to-use technology, and easy-to-explain compliance initiatives. Prior to starting her own business, Kate served as the HR Officer for Consulate General Jerusalem and U.S. Embassy Lusaka, Zambia. Kate has been recognized by The New York Times, CNN.com, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, National Public Radio, and other journalistic sources as a leading authority on harassment, technology in the workplace, and employment law.

Marc is passionate about helping employers manage and mitigate their legal employment risk; not only through reactive management of issues after they arise, but by avoiding them altogether through respect, education, and positive HR Management. For over 15 years, Marc has helped businesses do just that – as a big firm litigator, corporate in-house counsel, and non-profit HR executive. Marc has served as Chief Human Resources Officer for a health care non-profit, overseeing all aspects of the HR portfolio as well as Risk & Compliance. Marc is co-creator of the popular, educational (and surprisingly humorous) Hostile Work Environment podcast.

Room Number: Suite G
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Communication

Are you an HR Rockstar of One? HR Superhero? Jack of all HR Trades? Managing both Employee Benefits and Property & Casualty Insurance “in addition to….”? If this just described your current day to day job description, join Alissa Miller and Diana Schmidt as they tackle important topics you need to know in Employee Benefits and Worker’s Compensation insurance! We will discuss emerging trends and explore the intersection of where these topics converge so you can better manage your risk.

Key takeaways:
• Being an HR party of one is a huge undertaking. Understanding the top 5 things you need to know about Employee Benefits and Worker’s Compensation insurance will give you the edge you need to stay on top of it all.
• If you’re not changing your behind. What are the emerging trends are on the horizon for Employee Benefits and Worker’s Compensation? How can you adapt quickly and efficiently to stay ahead?
• Identify areas of crossover between Employee Benefits and Worker’s Compensation that could help you make a strong impact in your organization. Addressing the commonalities of both employee benefits and workers compensation departments can be the key to a healthier, more productive workforce.
Alissa Miller has been in the insurance industry in employee benefits for over 10yrs. She is an employer advocate that approaches employee benefits as an opportunity to educate, guide, and discover each employer’s unique needs in order to ensure they have the health and wellness benefits they need for their unique employees. Alissa takes on the responsibility to be a subject matter expert for my employer groups and answer all their questions and concerns in the ever-changing healthcare landscape. She is a second-generation benefits consultant—in a family-rooted company—that she is very proud to be a part of. Hausmann-Johnson’s values and mission statement could not align more with the way she approaches her business and career aspirations. Being a Benefit Consultant enables me the ability to help countless employees make the right decisions for themselves and their families in the healthcare world—which has been my passion and purpose from the start.

Diana Schmidt has 18 years of Property & Casualty insurance experience, technical knowledge and education. She excels at building trusting relationships, designing robust coverage programs and collaborating with risk control and claim partners to offer strong service platforms which help her clients control their total cost of risk.

Room Number: Suite H
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen

Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame Wide Receiver, Antonio Freeman, will talk about his journey from Baltimore, Maryland to Green Bay, Wisconsin. As the lead wide receiver for NFL Hall of Famer, Bret Favre, Antonio Freeman played in the 1999 Pro Bowl, four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls. He ranks sixth all-time on the Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver list.

The NFL has invited Antonio Freeman to participate in their annual ‘Rookie Symposium’ where he teaches NFL Rookies about financial responsibility.

Like anything worthwhile, Antonio’s journey has not been an easy one. However, every challenge brings opportunity. Antonio will share the highs and lows of his journey, including the challenges and how he overcame them, as well as what he has learned from those challenges that have made his life better - his Bright Vision.

We all have ‘Life Influencers’, those that care about us and help us along our journey. Are we coachable enough to learn the lesson(s) they teach? Who stands with us when we veer off course? How do we continually check ourselves to make sure we are stay the course?

Antonio Freeman’s well-known play dubbed ‘He Did What’ occurred when the Packers were considered ‘down and out’ in a game against the Minnesota Vikings. Brett Favre threw a long pass most thought was ‘uncatchable’, Antonio Freeman caught it on the ground, got up and ran in untouched for a touchdown. The Packers won! What obstacles have you looked at and gave up on before you ever started?

Antonio Freeman was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1995 NFL Draft. In his rookie season he returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown during a playoff win over Atlanta. He went on to lead the Packers in receiving in four seasons from 1996–1999 and led the NFL in receiving in 1998.

In his ten NFL seasons, Freeman caught 477 passes for 7,251 yards, gained 1,007 yards returning kickoffs and punts, and scored 61 touchdowns. His teams made the playoffs in seven of his NFL seasons. He appeared in four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls. He ranks sixth all-time on the Green Bay Packers receivers list with 6,651 yards on 431 catches. Antonio Freeman had three 1,000 yard receiving seasons in his career, 1997-1999. Nicknamed "Free", in 2006 Freeman won a Pop Warner Award for his work with youth. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1999 and participated in the NFL Alumni skills competition at the February 2007 Pro Bowl.

On July 18, 2009, Antonio Freeman was inducted into the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame. Freeman is dedicated to his foundation ‘B’More Free Programs’ which aims to educate and empower under privileged children and families and provide resources for them to be successful in life. The foundation was founded in Freeman’s hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, however, it is Antonio’s personal goal to share this program with children throughout Wisconsin. Antonio is a Board Member on Wisconsin’s own “Buckets for Hunger” and volunteers with Maryland’s Hunger Solutions. He is a representative for GO PINK, a breast cancer awareness nonprofit organization based in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Freeman currently serves on the NFL’s Player Safety Advisory Panel and Leadership Board and is involved with mentoring NFL Rookie’s through the NFL Rookie Symposium. He can be heard throughout Wisconsin each Monday during the Packer season on The End Zone with Antonio Freeman.
Room Number: Africa West
Credit Hours: 1.25
Level: All Levels
Competency: Business Acumen