Talking HR with Allison and Pete

Lenore Abare is the founder of Vircilitation impact and UnstuckHer. She's also a Zoom guru and a learning impact expert. On this episode, Lenore shares some of her strategies about creating a learning culture in the workplace - the mindset to get started, why it's important, and much more. We think you'll really enjoy this one!

Paul Clark from Clark & Lavey/INCAP joins Allison and Pete today to talk about captives and how they can help employers reduce cost, improve transparency, and gain more control over their plans. Not only is Paul incredibly knowledgeable about this topic, but he's also very enthusiastic! You're going to enjoy this one!

Employers around the country are having trouble filling open positions with quality candidates. Allison and Pete sat down with Michelle Abdow, President of Market Mentors, to talk about ways employers can market their brand to help attract and retain talented employees. Michelle offers some great ideas and strategies that you can start using today to improve your recruiting efforts. This is a must-listen!

Mary Jo Kennedy, an employment attorney from Bulkley Richardson, joins Allison and Pete once again, this time to talk about COVID mask mandates being lifted and how that impacts employers. Mary Jo takes us back to the beginning of state mandates and CDC masking guidelines to set the stage, then she answers several top of mind questions that many employers are asking. The topics cover things like an employer's legal exposure if employees don't wear a mask, how to handle employees who say they are fully vaccinated who are not, and several more. This show is both timely and really informative!

Pete and Allison talk about the application of virtual reality in the workplace with Ed Zemba, President of Link to VR and Kristin Rotas, Program Manager at Vitality. Ed and Kristin talk about their experiences deploying VR and how it can be used in a variety of different ways. This is definitely an eye-opening must-listen show!

Mark Adams is the Director of Compliance at The Employers Association of the Northeast is today's guest. Mark offers an explanation of the COBRA changes in The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and provides some great advice for employers about what they need to do today.

Our guest for this episode is Dave DelVecchio, the President of Suite 3, an IT company. Dave is an expert in data security, and he brings 30 minutes of great insights about cyber security and the things that HR professionals need to know now.

We are very pleased that Mary Jo Kennedy from Bulkley Richardson has returned to the show to help us understand whether or not employers can require employees to get the COVID vaccine. You don't want to miss this one!

Kim Laughlin, the founder of Cultural Apex Coaching talks about emotional intelligence and workplace wellness since the start of the COVID pandemic. She discusses why it's important for more focus on both topics along with specific strategies employers can implement today.

Zach Jones from Virtue Health Alliance discusses the concept of a health care purchasing coalition, how it can help employers reduce cost, and which types of employers are the best fit.

In this episode, Meg Avery from Unemployment Tax Control Associates (UTCA) joins us to talk about what's going on with unemployment claims since COVID hit. UTCA is a national unemployment insurance provider, and they help employers reduce unemployment costs. Meg's thoughts on this topic are both informative and really timely. A must listen!

Ashley Dube is the Northeast Market Director for The Difference Card, a company that helps employers reduce the cost of their health plans. In this episode, Ashley explains how The Difference Card can make a difference for employers that want to spend less on health care.

Christine Phillips, the First Vice President of HR at PeoplesBank joined us to talk about the future of human resources. A very passionate HR professional, Christine covered a range of topics including the bank's response to the pandemic, how HR can support the mental health of associates, and how the profession of HR will evolve in the upcoming years. Don't miss this one!

In this episode, we had a chance to speak with Abigail O'Connell, Senior Counsel at Sun Life, and an expert in leave management. Abigail discusses some of the most important recent changes in the Massachusetts PFML program and what employers need to know and do as we get closer to the January 1, 2021 launch date.

In this episode, our guest is Pam Thornton from The Employers Association of the Northeast. She discusses some of the challenges employers are faced with as they try to recruit, interview, and onboard new employees during the COVID - 19 pandemic.

The PPP Loan program has been widely utilized by businesses around the country, and for many, the loan forgiveness application process will begin very soon. Human Resources professionals will be heavily involved with the strategy and documentation necessary for the forgiveness application. Jim Krupienski and Rudy D'Agostino from Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. joined us today to talk about the changes that have happened recently with the PPP loans, the forgiveness application, and the role of the HR professional in the process.

In this episode, our guest is John Nettis from PASS - Protective Advanced Safety Services. John has decades of experience as a police officer, a police special forces unit member, a criminal profile expert, and a public school safety officer. John and his partner started PASS to provide customized training and preparedness programs for employers and their employees. He provides some great advice on what to look for, and how to respond to potential internal threats in the workplace.

As employers begin to bring people back to work from the COVID-19 pandemic, there are plenty of legal concerns. In this episode, Allison and Pete discuss these issues with Mary Jo Kennedy, a partner at Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP. Mary Jo does a great job diving into the details about employees that refuse to return to work, health screenings, and more.

Our guest today was Sarah Borders, founder of Benefits Compliance Solutions. She offers some great insights about the changes that have recently become available in Section 125 plans given the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you're in human resources, this show is for you! Talking HR With Allison and Pete will bring you interviews with thought leaders, innovators, and experts to help you stay informed and drive results at your organization. We hope you enjoy the show!