The Human Resources Council, a committee of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, is launching a series of programs for managers.The first, titled “Discipline and Discharge,” is set for 8 to 10:30 a.m. May 9 at the University of North Georgia’s Cumming Campus, 300 Aquatic Circle. Presented by attorneys with Fisher & Phillips LLP, the educational seminar will help managers learn appropriate and legally sound ways to deal with employee discipline and termination issues. Tracy Moon, a partner with Fisher & Phillips who is also on the chamber committee, said the council had offered several seminars for human resources professionals in the past but wanted to do more for other managers.“We also identified a need for training that is a little bit lower level, but more of hands-on workshop-type training for managers,” Moon said. “HR professionals could attend, but it’s really managers that handle other functions. It might be sales, it might be an operations manager, or a facilities manager … those types of things.” Moon said the training, which usually comes to companies at a high cost through the law firm, can help businesses if they are faced with lawsuits.“This training has a lot of value to employers, but a lot of employers haven’t been able to do this because of the downturn in the economy and they just can’t afford it in their budgets,” Moon said. “We’re trying to substitute for that. [Participants] will walk away with the same … acknowledgement form and it provides them a defense if there’s a lawsuit.“They have evidence that their managers went through training, so they made a good faith effort to comply with the law, which can at minimum eliminate punitive damages and with discrimination cases, it can eliminate compensatory and punitive damages in some circumstances.” The session is $25 for chamber members and $30 for non-members. Those planning to attend are asked to register online at www.cummingforsythchamber.org or call the chamber at (770) 887-6461 by May 8.“We’ll also take on-site registration, but it’s easier for us to go ahead and process everybody [if they register ahead of time],” said Randall Toussaint, the chamber’s vice president of economic development.Moon said the Human Resources Council and his firm may provide as many as five additional training sessions for managers over the next few months.“Initially, we have four or possibly five programs depending on the feedback we get from the HR Council and the attendees,” he said. Some other topics include preventing, investigating and responding to reports of discrimination or harassment, and hiring and screening. Jason Mock, the director of the chamber’s Small Business Services Center, said the May 9 seminar and future sessions will be beneficial to any business, regardless of size.“Business owners are always looking at cost and revenue and how to make money and save money in their business,” Mock said. “This right here affects them from the capital point and we want to add that service to our businesses.“We hope they take advantage of this because I think we’re one of the few chambers in the state that is offering this kind of package to our membership and our community.”
The Human Resources Council, a committee of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, is launching a series of programs for managers.The first, titled “Discipline and Discharge,” is set for 8 to 10:30 a.m. May 9 at the University of North Georgia’s Cumming Campus, 300 Aquatic Circle. Presented by attorneys with Fisher & Phillips LLP, the educational seminar will help managers learn appropriate and legally sound ways to deal with employee discipline and termination issues. Tracy Moon, a partner with Fisher & Phillips who is also on the chamber committee, said the council had offered several seminars for human resources professionals in the past but wanted to do more for other managers.“We also identified a need for training that is a little bit lower level, but more of hands-on workshop-type training for managers,” Moon said. “HR professionals could attend, but it’s really managers that handle other functions. It might be sales, it might be an operations manager, or a facilities manager … those types of things.” Moon said the training, which usually comes to companies at a high cost through the law firm, can help businesses if they are faced with lawsuits.“This training has a lot of value to employers, but a lot of employers haven’t been able to do this because of the downturn in the economy and they just can’t afford it in their budgets,” Moon said. “We’re trying to substitute for that. [Participants] will walk away with the same … acknowledgement form and it provides them a defense if there’s a lawsuit.“They have evidence that their managers went through training, so they made a good faith effort to comply with the law, which can at minimum eliminate punitive damages and with discrimination cases, it can eliminate compensatory and punitive damages in some circumstances.” The session is $25 for chamber members and $30 for non-members. Those planning to attend are asked to register online at www.cummingforsythchamber.org or call the chamber at (770) 887-6461 by May 8.“We’ll also take on-site registration, but it’s easier for us to go ahead and process everybody [if they register ahead of time],” said Randall Toussaint, the chamber’s vice president of economic development.Moon said the Human Resources Council and his firm may provide as many as five additional training sessions for managers over the next few months.“Initially, we have four or possibly five programs depending on the feedback we get from the HR Council and the attendees,” he said. Some other topics include preventing, investigating and responding to reports of discrimination or harassment, and hiring and screening. Jason Mock, the director of the chamber’s Small Business Services Center, said the May 9 seminar and future sessions will be beneficial to any business, regardless of size.“Business owners are always looking at cost and revenue and how to make money and save money in their business,” Mock said. “This right here affects them from the capital point and we want to add that service to our businesses.“We hope they take advantage of this because I think we’re one of the few chambers in the state that is offering this kind of package to our membership and our community.”