HR Pulse - Fall 2007 - (Page 50)

[ASHHRA ADVOCACY] Taking It to the Hill: An Advocacy Update T 50 HR Pulse Fall 2007 he ASHHRA advocacy committee ventured to Washington D.C. on May 13-15 for its annual Capitol Hill visit. Committee members—along with Carla Luggiero, senior associate director in AHA’s Division of Federal Relations—met with representatives of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the House of Representatives’ Workforce Policy Counsel. They also visited the offices of nine senators and 23 representatives. The goal of the committee’s annual trip to the nation’s capital is to help frame issues that are important to ASHHRA’s members in a way that is understandable for members of Congress. While the annual visits represent an essential step in making sure elected officials understand ASHHRA positions on critical healthcare-related issues, committee chair Jeff Payne insists that it’s what happens outside of such visits that is most important. “It takes much, much more than a once-ayear hit to get our messages across,” he says. “As a committee, and with Carla’s help, we’re communicating with legislators and regulators in Washington all year long. But the committee cannot do this work alone. We need ASHHRA members to engage in the political process and raise their voices by being in touch with their elected representatives on a regular basis. We don’t want to operate in a reactionary mode after a legislative vote takes place or a regulation gets handed down. We want to be out ahead of these issues.” Where ASHHRA Stands This year, the advocacy committee prepared a series of position papers to help clarify the ASHHRA position on a number of topics. This article provides a summary of the papers. To read the full text, visit www.ashhra.org. • Employee Free Choice Act—ASHHRA opposes the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007 (H.R. 800/S. 1041) because it would change the current union election system that is based on the bedrock principle of democracy: free and fair elections where ballots are cast in private, free from interference or influence by either side. It also weakens another fundamental principle of U.S. labor law—the voluntary agreement—by forcing negotiating parties into binding arbitration. • Secret Ballot Protection Act—ASHHRA supports the Secret Ballot Protection Act (H.R. 866) because we believe secret ballot elections are a fundamental part of our free society and our system of government. H.R. 866 supports the long-standing federal policy of secret ballot elections as set forth in the existing text of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The use of organizing methods that do not involve the use of secret ballot elections calls into question the ability of employees to express their views in a free, non-coercive environment. A secret ballot process contained in H.R. 866 helps ensure fairness in the election process and will not otherwise change the manner in which parties (unions and employers) conduct themselves in elections under the NLRA. • Paid Family Leave—ASHHRA opposes legislation S.910, which would require employers to add seven days of paid sick leave per year, because it would create another category of protected leave and adversely affect a hospital’s ability to provide quality patient care. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 already (FMLA) requires employers to provide up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave to employees for time off related to various personal and family matters. While we fundamentally support Congress’ original intent to provide opportunities for employees to address the pressures of balancing work and family obliga- http://www.ashhra.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Pulse - Fall 2007

Contents Executive Director’s Letter President’s Message HR Leader Profile: Lisa McDaniel Spotlight on Community Citizenship Culture of Engagement How Transparent Should Healthcare Compensation Be? The Value of Assessment Testing in the Recruitment Process Technology Dramatically Changes FMLA Compliance Creating a Magnetic Culture™ Taking It to the Hill: An Advocacy Update 401(k) / 403(b) Fee Lawsuits – Are You the Next Target? Compensation Offers – A Better Process Find It Again Pulse Points Who, Why and Where Conference Highlights Schedule at a Glance Keynote Speakers Social Events Conference Sponsors Exhibitors Index to Advertisers

HR Pulse - Fall 2007

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