B1
Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of Employment Law
Laurie Goetz Kemp, Woodward, Hobson & Fulton, L.L.P., Louisville, Ky.
This seminar will give an overview of each of the employment laws, including recent amendments to the ADA and FMLA. It will also address the interplay between the ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation and employers’ obligations to each. Specific examples and comparisons of how each law impacts employers’ responsibilities will be given.

L1
Immigration Update: What’s Most Important Now
Donza Luckett and Kenji Tashiro, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC, Louisville, Ky.
So you've received the dreaded “no match” letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA), and you're asking yourself, “What do I do with this”? During the course of this session, we will take a look at the SSA and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' current positions on “no match” letters and update you on the “safe harbor” rules. We will also explain how to avoid hiring unauthorized workers and steps a company should take to avoid discrimination claims in its hiring process. Finally, we will discuss current issues relating to H-1B visas and share our practical experience in dealing with U.S. consulates/embassies in connection with visa issuance under the current economic climate.

M1
OSHA and the HR Professional
Bobbi Samples, The Safety Firm, LLC, Noblesville, Ind.
Many human resource professionals either have the responsibility of safety and health for their employees or they oversee someone who does. This session will address the needs of both by giving an overview of the OSHA written program requirements, recordkeeping requirements, mandatory training topics, and management of a safety and health programs. This is an interactive, broad session with lots of helpful take-home ideas.

A1a
HR on Trial: A Mock Trial – Part 1
Debra H. Dawahare and Leila O’Carra, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, Lexington, Ky.
Whenever companies are sued on employment-related claims, HR is immediately involved, and the lawsuit becomes a major distraction. In the first half of a mock trial of an employment law case, two lawyers will demystify the litigation experience. Attendees will become jurors in an abbreviated trial that begins with opening statements and examination of witnesses. Come and learn how your HR policies and practices, plus conversations and documents, might stand up during trial where they are laid bare for a judge and jury to examine in detail.

A2
Employee Drug Testing – What’s the Big Deal?
Dee Mason, Working Partners®, Columbus, Ohio
This session will detail how to operate a comprehensive drug-free workplace (DFWP) policy/program. Exercises will cover the key concerns when testing employees for drugs and/or alcohol. Based on best practices, learning objectives will include: What constitutes a defensible DFWP; laws that need to be considered including Kentucky’s workers’ compensation benefit law; and costs/ROI. Whether your motivation is corporate legal liability and protections, savings on workers’ compensation premiums, qualifying for contracts, discounts in corporate insurances, compliance at the state or federal levels, increasing employee productivity, improving safety or saving money, you’ll walk away better armed (and motivated) to operate drug free.

Mega 1
The Personal Credibility Factor: How to Maximize Your Impact in HR
Sandy Allgeier, SPHR, Allgeier Human Resources Consulting, Louisville, Ky.
Research proves that personal credibility forms the foundation for success for HR professionals and that today’s HR professional must demonstrate the ability to be a “credible activist”. This lively, interactive session will give participants the knowledge of how personal credibility is built daily in HR and will provide specific and actionable steps for increasing strategic impact by increasing the personal credibility factor. Participants will also explore “organizational credibility” and how HR systems and strategies can dramatically impact future success.

Mega 2
The Primer: Solutions in Social Media for HR
Dawn Marie Yankeelov, ASPectx, Prospect, Ky.
According to Harris Interactive, one-fifth of all recruiters check out candidates on social networking sites before hiring them. As new online methodologies become apparent for workforce development, outreach, talent recruitment, and retention, social media has become a must for HR professionals. This session will show you how connecting the virtual dots among social networking sites can provide simple solutions for primary tasks at the click of a button. This session will provide an overview from blogging and texting, to podcasting and advertising inside popular social networks, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and specialty recruiter Web sites.


Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Session Two — 2:30 p.m.- 4 p.m.

B2
Health Savings Accounts – Coordination with Your Current Benefits Program and Proposals on the Horizon
Frank J. Bitzer and Mary Eaves, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC, Lexington, Ky.
In the current economy, many employers are facing financial stress from every angle, including the rising cost of providing health coverage. This session will focus on ways that employers may be able to ease this financial stress through health savings accounts (HSAs). We’ll provide an overview of HSAs and how they may be best utilized by employers through integration with, or as an alternative to, existing benefit arrangements. We’ll also discuss developments affecting health savings accounts, including the latest annual contribution and deductible limits, as well as any new guidance and proposed legislation being considered on Capitol Hill.

L2
Temporary Employees and Contractors: Asset or Liability?
Todd B. Logsdon, Fisher & Phillips LLP, Louisville, Ky.
Temporary employees and contractors are not my problem because they are someone else's employees, right? Not necessarily. This session will review the various definitions of employer, employee and independent contractor under various Kentucky and federal employment related laws. It will also focus on potential employer pitfalls and strategies for dealing with temporary employees and contractors.

M2
Implementing Performance Evaluations: Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Drawbacks
Donna King Perry and Trasee E. Whitaker, SPHR, Woodward, Hobson & Fulton, L.L.P., Louisville, Ky.
It is essential in today’s business world to have effective and proper employee performance evaluations. We will review the elements of a successful evaluation process, identify key process goals and cover the mistakes to avoid. We will also tell you how to minimize legal exposure and effectively deliver good and bad news to the employee during the evaluation meeting. This session will provide the tools you need to begin developing a new process or tweaking the one already in place.

A1b
HR on Trial: A Mock Trial – Part 2
Debra H. Dawahare & Leila O’Carra, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, Lexington, Ky.
Employment-related lawsuits and trials are expensive, often time-consuming and expose your HR policies and practices to extensive scrutiny by attorneys, judges and jurors. In the second half of a mock trial of an employment case, two lawyers will help to demystify the litigation experience with closing statements and will offer you jury instructions so you can make the final call on which side wins and which does not. Participate in the trial as a juror, and after your group renders its “verdict,” you may ask questions and talk about the trial with the attorneys.

A2
Employee Drug Testing – What's the Big Deal?
Dee Mason, Working Partners®, Columbus, Ohio
This session will detail how to operate a comprehensive drug-free workplace (DFWP) policy/program. Exercises will cover the key concerns when testing employees for drugs and/or alcohol. Based on best practices, learning objectives will include: What constitutes a defensible DFWP; laws that need to be considered including Kentucky’s workers’ compensation benefit law; and costs/ROI. Whether your motivation is corporate legal liability and protections, savings on workers’ compensation premiums, qualifying for contracts, discounts in corporate insurances, compliance at the state or federal levels, increasing employee productivity, improving safety or saving money, you’ll walk away better armed (and motivated) to operate drug free.

Mega 3
Is it Time to Become an HRpreneur and Earn a Seat at the Executive Table?
Tom Wurtz, Tom Wurtz Consulting, Fort Mitchell, Ky.
Do you know any HR professionals or executives who are frustrated because they have failed to secure a seat at the executive table? As the former president of a $70 million company, the speaker will share why he has led thousands of executive meetings without any representatives from the HR department, and how you can earn that important seat. This entertaining and thought-provoking session will teach you how to change your corporate identity from an HR professional to an HRpreneur. It’s time for your “eagle within” to soar.

Mega 4
Stop Bullying at Work: Strategies and Tools for the HR Professional
Teresa A. Daniel, J.D., Ph.D., InsideOut HR Solutions PLLC, Ashland, Ky.
Though it may be unprofessional, it is not illegal in the U.S. for managers to intimidate, threaten, exploit, control, or humiliate their employees. Unfortunately, actions like these happen all too often in companies. It can often be difficult to determine whether an individual is a workplace bully or simply a manager with high expectations. Understanding the differences can help HR practitioners quickly and definitively identify when a problem exists that requires organizational intervention. This session will address the causes, costs and consequences of bullying, proposed legislation, and anti-bullying workplace strategies to help you and your organization build a culture of respect.


Thursday, September 17, 2009
Session Three — 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
and repeated in
Session Four — 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

B3
HIPAA Updates Under The American Recovery and  Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Session 3 Only)
Frank J. Bitzer, Esq., Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC, Cincinnati, Ohio
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) made a number of modifications to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regarding privacy and security rules. The legislative changes that affect HIPAA create many new requirements, enforcement provisions and penalties for covered entities, business associates, vendors and others. This session will focus on those changes and detail the impact of HIPAA’s privacy provisions.

B4
Sky-High Workers’ Compensation Costs? Why It’s Important to Keep Your Injured Workers Working (Session 4 Only)
Kenneth J. Dietz and William P. Emrick, Jones Dietz & Swisher, PLLC Lexington, Ky.
Economic cost drivers have saddled Kentucky employers with the eighth highest premium cost in the United States. What does this mean for the HR professional? What methods are available to Kentucky employers to combat these costs? How can you save money by utilizing best practices and, in litigated claims, how can you limit your future liability? Why do costs increase if the worker does not return to work, and what are the pitfalls if you don’t bring them back? This session will address these questions and issues with full audience participation.

L3
Wage and Hour Update
Jim Cockrum, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Louisville, Ky.
Courts and administrative agencies continue to issue new and important rulings covering all aspects of wage and hour law. Employee representatives continue to pursue class and collective actions. The quickly-changing economy continues to require employers to respond. This program will provide an update on the most recent developments in wage and hour law, including overtime exemptions, “off the clock” and “working time” issues, and an employer’s duties and abilities to make changes in its wage and hour practices and policies. We will also discuss the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the court case which produced these new rules. This session will offer practical day-to-day advice for employers of all sizes and industries.

L4
Advanced FMLA Compliance
Mauritia Kamer, Stites & Harbison PLLC, Lexington, Ky.
Administering FMLA can be risky business, and if you're caught unprepared, you and your organization could face costly fines and extensive litigation. With the addition of the latest provisions effective Jan. 16, 2009, are you confident that you understand the FMLA and how it is applied? The newest regulatory changes touch on a variety of issues, from military-related leave to perfect attendance awards to employer notice obligations. There are also new forms that have been published for FMLA requests. With all of these changes to an already-complex law, are you confident that you can administer FMLA correctly and protect your organization?

M3
Asking Great Questions
Rubi Ho, Sherpa Coaching, Cincinnati, Ohio
Find out what's really going on and make great things happen, just by asking great questions. This session will cover how to get to the bottom of things and turn people loose to take care of business. Learn to lighten your load, transform your workplace, create real empowerment, and eliminate conflict and denial. You'll learn how to stop taking ownership for other peoples' problems. If you ask the right questions, they'll discover their own solutions and do their work with passion.

M4
The New Strategic Definition of Leadership for Tough Economic Times
Karl Ahlrichs, SPHR, ExpertSpeaks, Indianapolis, Ind.
Simply put, leadership is at the core of the workplace issues on our collective front burners. The economic downturn is causing stresses on many fronts, while workers have shorter attention spans and low tolerance for gaps in integrity. The leadership model must change to reflect this new world, or the price will be high. This session will guide leaders to the next level of personal competence by working with strategies and methods from outside HR, including lean methods and active listening. This session is intended for senior staff.

A3
Leadership and Self-Deception: Implications for Organizational Performance
Andy Meyer, Ph.D., Louisville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, Ky.
Self-deception is at the heart of many common “people problems” that negatively impact organizational performance. Problems with leadership, communication, motivation and conflict are often related to self-deception. This session will give you a new perspective that puts them at the center of organizational problems and solutions. With this new perspective in mind, individuals in an organization can begin to confront self-deception, and the organization can discover higher levels of performance.

A4
HR’s Role in Labor-Management: An Operations Perspective (Session 3 Only)
Mike Baker, Michael T. Baker, LLC, Lewisport, Ky.
We spend millions of dollars and countless man-hours to squeeze more productivity from our “equipment” resources. With existing HR and operations professionals, we can energize a powerful, but largely ignored, productivity tool: labor-management relations. In today’s demanding workplace, every employee’s full contribution is required. The HR professional is a vital partner in creating a culture that optimizes these critical contributions. How can HR impact the labor relations landscape beyond contract interpretation, training and compliance issues? How can HR be a catalyst to move operations management to new approaches on labor management, thereby releasing the productivity power of our “human” resources?

A5
Reducing Business Risks Through Effective Workforce Planning (Session 4 Only)
Jeanie Adkins, Mercer, Louisville, Ky.
During tough economic times, workforce planning has gained interest from businesses, both small and large. Workforce planning is the process of forecasting changes in the need for talent (staff) over the next one to three years. This includes forecasting what critical skills will be needed, as well as, how many people will be needed and where. The next step is to develop an understanding of the organization’s likely talent need if it continues its current human resource management staffing practices. The third step is to analyze potential “talent gaps” between the supply and demand of talent. The final step is to develop human resource practices and programs to fill these talent gaps. This session provides an overview of core workforce planning steps and processes.

Mega 5
Do You Have What it Takes to Be a Great HR Professional? (Session 3 Only)
Lyle Hanna, SPHR, Hanna Resource Group, Lexington, Ky.
What characteristics make a great HR manager, director, vice president or CHRO? HR professionals are involved in more than payroll and enforcing policies and procedures. These professionals understand where the real corporate value lies – in their people. Creative incentive programs, top-notch performance management systems and enriching training sessions may be found in ordinary companies with extraordinary HR professionals. This session is built upon a study designed to uncover the underlying attributes of outstanding HR employees. How do you compare to the great HR leaders? Do you have what it takes to dazzle your organization and become an eminent professional in the field?

Mega 6
Retention During Tough Economic Times: It’s Tomorrow You Need to Worry About! (Session 3 Only)
Greg Churchman, Churchman Consulting Solutions, Fort Collins, Co.
Keeping your current employees is a piece of cake during a recession and when no one’s hiring, right? Wrong! It may be a no-brainer now, but in the near future employers may soon be challenged to maintain their current staff. Take proactive steps with your retention efforts now – it will pay dividends as the economy turns (and we all know it will) to an employee’s market.

Mega 7
21st Century Leadership (Session 4 Only)
Jay McChord, WorkplaceBuzz, Lexington, Ky.
During these unique times, HR professionals are being called on to lead. This high energy, idea-packed session will give you insights and tools to help you become much more effective leaders your home, business and community. Take-aways include: how to leverage the strengths of your team; how to communicate effectively across the generations; how to identify new ideas that seize opportunities and solve problems; and how to leave behind a powerful legacy.

Mega 8
Get in the Game: Management-to-Coaching-to-Higher Productivity and Performance (Session 4 Only)
Terry Seitz, InterComm Group, Jasper, Ind.
Like a double play in baseball, managing and coaching can be part of the same game plan. Integration of both methods creates a greater opportunity for improved performance in the workplace and beyond. In this session, we’ll explore the differences between management and coaching. We’ll highlight the unique relationship between the organization, the coach and the associate. We’ll focus on the importance of identifying key behavioral traits at the beginning of the coaching process. We’ll identify a dozen essential characteristics coaches need to work with for optimum success in personal responsibility and professional accountability. Blend it all together, and you have recipe for increased productivity and performance.


Thursday, September 17, 2009
Session Five — 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
and repeated in
Session Six — 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

B5
COBRA News: Subsidy Rules, Military Leave Rules and an Updated “Watch-Out” List (Session 5 Only)
Debbie Reiss Hardesty, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Louisville, Ky.
The COBRA stimulus rules are in full swing, and the process for complaints and appeals to the DOL is now on-line. Extended health coverage rights for employees on military leave has changed a couple of times and isn't quite the same as COBRA. Many employers are not yet aware of Michelle's law, a new rule for group health plans generally effective Jan. 1, 2010. This session will provide an update on the COBRA subsidy rules, USERRA's rules for extended health coverage during military leave and Michelle's law. Employers will also hear about common COBRA mistakes that can be costly for employers.

B6
401(k) Plans: Why Employers Must Oversee Investments and Providers (Session 6 Only)
Alison Stemler, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Louisville, Ky.
Participants' accounts have experienced record losses, which has contributed to record numbers of claims against employers related to 401(k) plan fees and expenses. Employers who have a regular process for oversight of 401(k) investments and providers should win these claims – and are much less likely to be sued. This is a good time to learn what you need to do to stay out of court and win if you are sued. This session will address basic 401(k) plan oversight responsibilities, include checklists, and introduce helpful government resources.

L5
The Union Agenda – It’s Not Just the EFCA
John T. Lovett, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Louisville, Ky.
Unions and their political allies are busy reinventing the rules of union organizing. Maneuvers to pass the Employee Free Choice Act [EFCA] are just the “first shot” in this campaign. Strong union allies now control the agency regulating employer responses to unions, the NLRB, as well as the DOL. The “RESPECT” Act and other pro-union legislation is pending. This session will explain the impact of the changes that have already occurred and those that are expected. Union “equal access” to employer private property, e-mail union organizing, “quickie” elections, the changing roles of supervisors and “temp” workers, plus the status of “card check” and interest arbitration will be addressed, with a focus on what HR professionals need to do to prepare.

L6
Downsizing Staff: Reduce Your Legal Risks
Thomas J. Birchfield, Fisher & Phillips LLP, Louisville, Ky.
The current economy is forcing many employers to downsize their operations. With layoffs, comes risk of liability. How employers plan and execute a reduction in force is extremely important. Compliance with the law is paramount but how employees feel afterwards must also be considered. This program will cover all facets of a reduction in force.

M5
Discussing the Undiscussable
Bob Fritz, Resources Global, Louisville, Ky.
Have you ever found yourself in the following situations? I need to bring this to senior management’s attention, but I’m afraid or, I’d like to tell an employee how he/she is affecting the team, but I’m concerned of repercussions. Why don’t “undiscussables” get discussed? In this session you will learn the theories, models and actions you can take to help yourself and others create an environment where what needs to be said gets said, heard, understood and acted upon. This knowledge and skill will help HR professionals improve employee engagement and organizational learning.

M6
Leveraging Workplace Flexibility as a Business Driver
Jennifer E. Swanberg, Ph.D., Institute for Workplace Innovation, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.
Workplace flexibility is the buzz among human resources professionals, organizational development experts and national public policy analysts. Workplace flexibility promotes employee engagement, positive employee health behaviors and satisfied customers. The trends are clear: to compete for the most qualified workers in the 21st century, businesses must incorporate workplace flexibility into daily workplace practices. This session will provide participants with the fundamentals of workplace flexibility, the business case for workplace flexibility and strategies for using workplace flexibility to meet business outcomes.

A6
HR Essentials for Start Ups and Small Businesses: Strategies to Create a Positive and Litigation-Free Workplace
Teresa A. Daniel, J.D., Ph.D., InsideOut HR Solutions PLLC, Ashland, Ky.
Fast-paced and information rich, this session will condense “the most important of the most important” HR essentials into information that will help you take steps to develop an employee relations strategy that will promote a positive workplace climate, as well as protect your company from litigation. Specifically, we will cover key HR basics, including the development of policies, training for employees, communication, performance management, HR audits and much more. You’ll leave this session with the information and confidence you need to proactively prepare for the tough HR challenges that are sure to come your way.

A7
HR’s Leadership Means Success in Tough Times! Building a Lean Human System Culture!
Gene W. Childress, Center for Quality People and Organizations, Georgetown, Ky.
HR professionals are expected to be the creators, developers and the guardians of their organizations’ cultures. The questions are: What is the culture of a successful organization? Do we know what we have now? How do we change? This interactive session will focus on answering these questions through an understanding of organizational culture, the “people value stream” model and strategies for implementing a lean culture.

Mega 9
Breaking Barriers: Reducing Corporate Health Care Costs by Improving Employee Access to Preventive Health Care (Session 5 Only)
Rallie McAllister, M.D., MPH, MSEH, Benefit Insurance Marketing, Lexington, Ky.
Working Americans cite several barriers to healthcare services, ranging from financial burdens imposed by co-pays and deductibles to physician shortages and lack of understanding of health care insurance benefits. Barriers to health care contribute to poor employee health and rising corporate health care costs. This session will present case studies of Kentucky corporations in which HR professionals implemented practical, cost-effective solutions to improving accessibility to health care. Removing barriers to health care enhances employee health, productivity and quality of life, while significantly reducing corporate healthcare costs.

Mega 10
Taking HR to the Summit (Session 5 Only)
Brenda Corbett, Sherpa Coaching, Cincinnati, Ohio
Skill is not enough. HR leaders must learn three key behaviors to manage people adeptly and earn the respect of their executive peers. This session will cover how initiative, creativity and coaching skills will take HR leaders to a personal summit. Coaching skills will help you ask key questions, leading to improvement in others’ behavior and performance. Leading a team that communicates well and pulls together frees up HR leaders to think and act strategically.

Mega 11
Affirmative Action Versus Diversity and Inclusion: Are These Concepts Complimentary or at Odds? (Session 6 Only)
Eric Ellis and Charlotte Neal, Integrity Development Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio
This session will explore the relationship that exists between two widely discussed business concepts affirmative action and diversity/inclusion. In recent times, organizations have shunned affirmative action oriented efforts in pursuit of the more business bottom-lined diversity/inclusion initiatives. As a result of the election of America’s first African-American president and his potential impact on the make-up of the U.S. Supreme Court, there has been a renewed debate about the value of these workplace equity oriented initiatives. This session will provide a thought-provoking presentation on the current value of strategically embracing these two areas as complementary workplace equity strategies.

Mega 12
Fireproofing Your HR Career So You and It Won’t Go Up in Smoke! (Session 6 Only)
Cathy Fyock, SPHR, Resources Global Professionals, Louisville, Ky.
Are you feeling burned out in your HR career? Are you feeling the heat about what’s next for you in HR? Do you want to develop some strategies to keep your career from going up in smoke? Join this session as the speaker shares some of the ups and downs of her career in HR – providing ideas for how to become fired up about making a difference while making a living in one of the hottest professions in the world.


Friday, September 18, 2009
Session Seven — 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
and repeated in
Session Eight — 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

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B7
Developing a Comprehensive Compensation Plan (Session 7 Only)
Brian Dausman, Mercer, Louisville, Ky.
How organizations design and deliver compensation to employees plays a significant role in their abilities to attract, retain and motivate the employees needed to execute the business strategy and deliver on key objectives. Although pay is not the only driver of attraction, retention or employee engagement, it does matter. In fact, in the current economic climate, getting it right is critical. This session will cover the fundamental components of a comprehensive compensation plan including compensation strategy, job analysis/classification, base and incentive compensation program design, pay-for-performance or contribution, and pay policies and compliance.

B8
Unemployment Insurance on the Rise (Session 8 Only)
LaToi D. Mayo, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, Lexington, Ky.
Unemployment insurance benefits continue to rise throughout the nation. Since the recession began in Dec. 2007, 5.1 million jobs have been lost, with almost two-thirds (3.3. million) of the decrease occurring in the first five months of 2009. This session will discuss Pres. Obama's stimulus package, which includes new HR-related provisions that impact unemployment benefits, and explore the effects of the rise in unemployment insurance benefits and rates. We’ll also cover how reserve accounts and tax rates are determined and successorship of unemployment reserve accounts for businesses no longer conducting business in the state.

L7
Update on Significant Legal Decisions for Kentucky Employers
Brooks D, Kubik, Stites & Harbison PLLC, Louisville, Ky.
This program will feature a comprehensive update of the most important judicial decisions of the past year and their practical effects on day-to-day HR practices for Kentucky employers. We will cover recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as state and federal courts hearing Kentucky cases. This is “must know” information for HR professionals.

L8
What’s New With The Americans With Disabilities Act?: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008
Brent R. Baughman, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC, Louisville, Ky.
Just when you thought you understood the key concepts under the ADA, Congress legislatively overturned four recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions which were favorable to employers. This session will examine the ADA Amendments Act, regulations interpreting and applying that legislation and their impact on employers.

M7
Reducing Stress to Improve Employee Performance (Session 7 Only)
Lee Kem, Ph.D., Murray State University, Murray, Ky. and Ralph Hundley, Ph.D., Pearson Corp. (Talent Assessment Group), San Antonio, Texas
Employee stress is a costly management problem causing reduced productivity and increased medical costs (sixty-seven percent of doctor visits are for stress related symptoms). In today’s economic conditions, many employees are experiencing increased stress and often are unable to identify and address it. They are candidates for problems leading to negative personal issues, disruptive actions and possible workplace violence. This session will equip you with the 4L Approach to help them identify and determine actions to reduce stress and build supportive relationships with co-workers to improve performance.

M8
Critical Thinking: An Essential Skill in the 2lst Century Workplace (Session 8 Only)
Lee Kem, Ph.D., Murray State University, Murray, Ky. and Ralph Hundley, Ph.D., Pearson Corp. (Talent Assessment Group), San Antonio, Texas
Business leaders and human resource professionals recognize critical thinking as an essential skill at all workplace levels. You are in a world-wide competitive job market. The focus for the 21st century is innovation. An essential component of innovation is the ability to think critically. The Partnership for the 21st Century is dedicated to the infusion of critical thinking into our education system to better prepare employees to be successful. This session discusses critical thinking initiatives, critical thinking skills in the ‘real’ world and critical thinking applications.

M9
Worksite Wellness Programs: Five Steps to Success
Teresa Lovely, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Bowling Green, Ky.
If you are thinking about implementing or further developing a worksite wellness program or just need a refresher on the “how-tos”, this session is for you. Regardless of the type or size of your organization or the resources available to it, you can improve employee health and your company’s bottom line. Learn the five key steps critical to program effectiveness and how to apply them. This session also includes an overview of a newly available resource to assist you with program success.

A8
HR and Business Ethics: Lessons From the Downturn
Shelly Trent, SPHR, Society for Human Resource Management, Louisville, Ky.
This session will use innovative tools, such as Cisco’s “Ethics Idol”, to help you get employees excited about ethics. The current financial crisis has put business ethics back in the headlines, and we have to ask ourselves, “What more can HR professionals do to create ethical business cultures that will deter these questionable business practices in the future?” This session looks at the six basic building blocks of a comprehensive business ethics program, the ethics requirements mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and research data from several recent studies, including SHRM’s 2008 survey, “The Ethics Landscape in American Business.”

A9
Are You Strategic? Developing the HR Leader’s Strategic Thinking Skills
Rich Horwath, Strategic Thinking Institute, Barrington Hills, Ill.
How do you generate strategic insights to enable HR to be seen as a true business partner? A recent study conducted by the Wall Street Journal showed that the number one most critical managerial skill is strategic thinking, but 90 percent of managers have never had any training on how to be strategic—have you? The speaker will provide you with ten practical tools for thinking strategically on a daily basis, from his new book Deep Dive. You’ll become an expert at developing strategic insights that improve your business and help you stand out from your peers.

Mega 13
Zap the Gap: How You Zap the Invisible Gap Between Generations in the Workplace (Session 7 Only)
Meagan Johnson, Johnson Training Group, Scottsdale, Az.
Traditionals, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and New Millenniums: far beyond body piercings versus Sans A Belts, the differences in values, attitudes and work habits between these four generations run deep – and can make it challenging to manage, motivate and gel them into a cohesive team. This Gen-Xpert will show you how to do it. AND, you’ll have a great time. Known as the generational humorist for good reason, her style is fast-paced, obstreperous and outrageously funny.

Mega 14
Why Can’t You Hear What I’m NOT Saying? (Session 7 Only)
Susan Miller, M.S., ME.d., Re-Energizing Communications, Inc., Prospect, Ky.
Do you have the powerful communication skills required of HR professionals to interact effectively with employees at all levels of your organization? This fun, highly-interactive session is short on theory and long on practical strategies to power-up your image, message and delivery. Learn the difference between passive, assertive and aggressive communication styles and how to give feed-back to anyone without them becoming angry, defensive or resentful.

Mega 15
Mastering the Storm: Building an Organizational Culture that Will Weather a Tough Economy (Session 8 Only)
Larry Johnson, C.S.P., Johnson Training Group, Scottsdale, Az.
Everyone is facing falling revenues, restricted budgets, reduced growth and dimming prospects for the future. Like past fluctuations in the economy, this downturn will eventually pass. In the mean time, the challenge we all face is to apply the creativity required to operate more efficiently and demonstrate the willingness to persevere. Drawing on 22 years of consulting experience with some of the world’s foremost corporations and governmental organizations, this speaker will show you how to make the most of these hard times.

Mega 16
Simple Truths of Appreciation (Session 8 Only)
Barbara Glanz, C.S.P., Barbara Glanz Communications, Inc., Sarasota, Fla.
Sixty-five percent of American workers said they received NO appreciation last year for the good work they had done. Yet, the second most important thing people want from their jobs is full appreciation. Why is there a disconnect? Because most of us are just too busy. This session will cover ten simple truths about appreciating others, which you can immediately apply both in your work and your personal life. The beauty of appreciation is that we can give it to anyone we choose at no cost except awareness and a few moments of time.