September, 2007
2007 SHRM Pinnacle Awards Program Application
Identification
Title of the Program: California State HR Certification Program State Council Name: California State Council of SHRM
Region: Pacific West
Name: Regina Maciula, SPHR-CA Telephone Number: 510-834-6600
Email Address: [email protected]
Position on Council: Immediate Past State Director
Executive Summary:
The California State Council of SHRM represents the interests of over 26,000 HR professionals who are members of SHRM or SHRM-affiliate chapters, CA-based non-members and out-of-state HR
professionals responsible for employees in their California branches. While the national certification program is essential for every serious HR practitioner, it is an incomplete measure of the knowledge required to manage HR effectively in California. Employers nationally were looking for a comprehensive guide to California HR laws.
To meet that need, we developed The California HR Certification Program, a secured exam administered by HRCI along with comprehensive educational materials (4 participant volumes,
instructor's manual and practice questions). This spring, the CASC established training programs hosted by our chapters to prepare test-takers with an instructor bank for SHRM and all SHRM chapters to rely on for content expertise.
We are proud that 139 people sat for the exams in April and June and now have 99 professionals with dual certification (SPHR-CA or PHR-CA), amazing numbers for a program that has been in effect for less that a year. This December, the first electronic CA exam will be held nationally with our
SHRM-published preparation materials available through group study, individual self-study and corporate programs.
Why was the program created? :
Our state leaders have long been aware of the challenges faced by California employers and HR practitioners to learn both national and state laws and to distinguish which law is in effect in each
circumstance. California courts and regulatory agencies are backlogged with cases that exist in large part because of the failure of California employers to be aware of California-specific requirements. Before this program, no comprehensive way existed to identify and measure the HR Body of Knowledge specific to California.
We strongly believed that those of us leading HR in California needed to take the steps to make this project a reality and close that knowledge gap. In addition, we believed that there would be substantial
benefit from the PR surrounding the exam process, making our legislators aware of our seriousness to impact legislation beneficial both to our employers and our employees.
In 2005, the California State Council (CASC) determined that if we didn't move forward, a private organization, such as a law firm or university, would develop the program as a for-profit venture. Believing strongly in having the HR profession manage a self-regulating certification program, we set a mission to act quickly maintaining confidentiality in our processes to anyone outside the SHRM network.
The program also gave CASC a focused goal. With three SuperMega Chapters offering substantial educational programming and other active chapters with high quality services, CASC does not have a State Conference or similar activity to unite the Board members. We believed that the CA State Council had a responsibility to pull together the body of knowledge and develop study materials based on that body of knowledge for use by our chapters.
Who participated in the implementation of your program? :
The project leaders were Bill Kelly, SPHR, Certification Chair; and Gina Maciula, SPHR-CA, Immediate Past State Director. The CA Certification Task Force included a diverse group of
representatives from chapters of all sizes throughout the state. The committee possessed a demonstrated knowledge of the HR body of knowledge, experience in the development and implementation of
certification programs in other professions, and an awareness of the confusion surrounding the intersection of federal and state laws.
Task Force members were involved in practice analysis, exam development, item writing, and the authorship of course materials. The Train-the-Trainer programs involved additional members who were skilled in the ability to convert written materials into a classroom learning experience. With statewide availability of training as a primary goal, several chapters in CA were involved with the marketing and delivery of the group study programs.
Over 50 volunteers and SHRM representatives were involved in this effort. Many of the Task Force leaders are specifically acknowledged in the final published product available to the Pinnacle Committee as needed.
How was the program implemented? :
With a 2007 target date for the first exam, it was clear that we needed to work swiftly on the pre-exam development. The Certification Task Force had three subcommittees working simultaneously to complete their goals. The Topics/Content subcommittee identified the unique CA body of knowledge to be addressed in the exam. The Structure/Inputs subcommittee debated on the prerequisites for the exam and linkage to national certification and recertification. The Funding subcommittee developed a budget and an RFP for the substantial funding needed to go forward. The State Council agreed to support the initial costs to research and develop a plan. To assure we were on the right track, we contracted with HUMRRO, a DC firm specializing in certification, which reaffirmed the steps we needed to follow and the resources required to implement an effective program.
From the beginning, the State Council strongly believed that those in the HR profession should manage the certification process. Although some HR service providers and other business partners
expressed interest in providing financial support, the committee felt it was preferable to look for funding within the profession to insure the program's credibility and integrity. A proposal to the SHRM
Foundation was denied since this was not a research project and within the scope of their work.
Although HRCI doesn't provide funding to outside groups, we sent a copy of our proposal to HRCI for evaluation. The HRCI Board was impressed by the solid groundwork of the CASC and with the readiness of the program. CASC representatives met with the HRCI Board in March of 2006 to discuss possible partnership roles and responsibilities. The HRCI Board agreed that this program would help meet an immediate need of the HR profession and decided to grant the funding needed to bring the CA State Council's dream to reality. As importantly, they pledged to continue to look to the CA State Council for guidance and support in the next phases of the project - exam development and marketing.
A Practice Analysis Task Force confirmed the body of knowledge to be tested, and the exam questions were developed through item writers from the pool of members in California. The first exam was held in April 2007 in conjunction with the California State Council's Annual Legislative Conference.
Finally, a group separate from HRCI was formed, with financial support from SHRM, to develop study materials and programs to be used to prepare for the exam. The California HR Certification Study Materials were completed and published in draft form in less than six weeks. In the spring, beta materials were tested with 9 pilot study groups throughout CA. Revisions were collected, completed and the final manuscript was delivered to SHRM for publication in June. The published materials will be ready for sale to chapters for use in their study groups by October 1, 2007. By mid-October, individual study materials ordered through the SHRM website and in-company packages will be available.
What were the program's goals? Were they met? :
Our primary goal to launch a CA Certification program by 2007 has been achieved. The first exam was held in April 2007 in Sacramento, a second exam was given at the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas. After two "paper and pencil exams," the computer exam will now be offered in conjunction with the regularly scheduled SPHR/PHR program. We originally believed that success would be defined by having at least 50 examinees for the first exam. We started out with 109 test-takers in Sacramento.
The parallel and equally important goal was to partner with SHRM to develop a comprehensive educational program for California HR laws. To prepare people for the exam, a group made up of subject matter experts (SMEs) and legal experts accomplished the Herculean task of developing study materials, training trainers to present those materials, and setting up classes throughout the state. This
accomplishment was separate from developing the exam, because of the necessity of keeping an ethical wall between the test development and the educational process.
Another goal of keeping the examination process within the profession was achieved. The CA Certification program was developed for the HR profession by HR professionals - a key self-regulatory process. We are very glad that we are working with SHRM and HRCI, an affiliate of SHRM, to realize our dream rather than with another entity.
A fourth goal of uniting the State Council in a project that had participation by chapters of all sizes has been met. The chapters are benefiting by setting up training programs that can provide a valuable service to their members as well as provide revenue to the chapter. The State Council presented a two-day training program immediately before the Sacramento exam.
A final goal was national impact. Since the launch of the program, we have received feedback from SHRM members outside California that they intend to support and promote our program. Some have told us that they model their policies on CA law to assure compliance for employees throughout the country, rather than have multiple standards. For those companies, we have provided a source to navigate the maze of CA legislation.
Was the program effective? Based upon what criteria? :
The processes followed to develop a specialized state-specific certification program have been very effective:
*The broad representation on the Task Force gave us the depth to address a variety of issues. *The decision to use three simultaneous task forces helped move the process forward quickly. *Keeping all options open at all times for funding, created an immediate need for decisions by those who were approached to help.
*Being willing to trade off some other State Council projects gave us the bandwidth to focus on this project.
*Gaining the confidence of entities such as SHRM and HRCI shows that the thoroughness of the research and written work was accurate and persuasive.
The most notable measure of effectiveness is the fact that the first exam drew well over 100 people. To those who are aware of the life-cycle of certification programs, that number is very impressive. Many new certification programs are affected by the "wait and see" syndrome by most potential examinees. A second notable measure of success is that the study materials have gone from a sketched-out body of knowledge to a beta version for spring study groups to a published final product available to HR professionals throughout the country.
Who benefited from your program? How so? :
The first beneficiaries were members of the California State Council, a group that has long struggled to determine its purpose and mission. We were and still are seriously focused on this project, which has cemented us as a team. We are now in the process of developing an Advisory Committee to provide feedback to SHRM for the annual renewal of the study materials and to HRCI for the exam on changes in California state employment laws to keep our project up-to-date and effective.
The next beneficiaries are individuals employed in California. California is unique, not only in its tangled web of HR laws, but it is also home to over 170,000 HR positions and more than 25,000 SHRM HR professionals, who are either members of a SHRM Chapter or SHRM at large.
The certification program has provided opportunity for SHRM, its chapters and others to develop educational programs in preparation for the exam. Employers and their employees will benefit from the increased knowledge and clarity gained from the educational opportunities that this program opens up. The publicity surrounding this program will show legislators that the HR profession is willing to set standards for their practices and how serious we are in understanding and implementing state HR laws and regulations.
It will benefit other states with unique laws by providing a framework for analyzing the need for supplementary levels of certification.
For HRCI, it has helped them to know that there are passionate members out there ready to support their mission and work with them to make their program even better. Employers who have headquarters in other states with employees in California will have a resource to look to for focused information.
What makes your program deserving of a Pinnacle Award? :
SHRM State Councils are charged with Advancing the HR Profession and Serving the HR
Professional. The CA Certification Program has met both of these expectations. It is as far-reaching and multi-faceted as any HR program imaginable. It will continue to benefit members, other HR
professionals, employers and employees both in and out of California for many years to come. Our study materials alone would be deserving of this award. The fact that those materials are being used throughout the state and now nationally to conduct study groups validates the quality of those materials. Test-takers confirmed that the materials were extremely relevant to the test with a 73% pass rate in April, the target of HRCI and other professional exams.
The CA State Council identified a very specific need, developed an effective plan, focused on a goal, and achieved it goals. This effort has already elevated both the profession and the professionals by
eliminating real and perceived barriers and uniting us all toward one common goal. At the national level, there is amazing enthusiasm and support for our program, again based on the realization that it will ultimately benefit the entire HR community.
Standards of Excellence:
The California State HR Certification Program is far-reaching and was designed to address and fulfill every standard. It primarily solved the significant problem of identifying and educating on unique CA HR practices that challenge HR professionals nationally (#3). The study materials, educational program, and certification program has expanded the SHRM/HRCI portfolio of services (#7, #6). This project is an outstanding accomplishment meeting a need of the HR profession and provides visibility and focus for the California State Council, our chapters and our members (#1). It's the first program of its kind (#3) and will impact the HR professional (#2) for years to come. This program was a huge undertaking (#4) for an affiliate with minimal funds. Since the first announcement from HRCI, the State Council has received numerous national requests for study materials and information about the program (#5). This unique HR practice need had been apparent for some time. The CASC determined that we were the best entity to lead the effort to meet that need and took action on behalf of the HR profession. This CA Certification
program met the overarching standards of Serving the HR Professional and Advancing the HR profession by essentially every measurement.