Workforce Development - SHRM Advocacy

More than 80% of HR Professionals report challenges recruiting suitable Job candidates.

To help close the skills gap and improve individual prosperity, employers and government should adopt practices and policies that support efforts to hire, educate and train individuals for the modern workplace, including utilizing non-traditional talent pools.

SHRM Supports

Work-based Learning: Policies that foster and expand work-based learning opportunities, including apprenticeships and skills-based hiring.
Accessing Untapped Talent: Initiatives that promote hiring from underutilized talent pools, such as the formerly incarcerated, older workers, individuals with disabilities and veterans.
Education Assistance: Expanding employer-provided education assistance to include student loan repayment and the monetary limit increased to give employers flexibility in the design of benefit offerings for recruitment and retention purposes.

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SHRM@WORK

2020
Increased the ways employers can help students by advocating for the expansion of employer-provided education assistance to include student loan repayment.

December 5, 2019
SHRM CEO and President Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. took part in the latest meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board in Indianapolis. The board discussed its work to better equip workers with the skills to fill available positions and succeed in the workplace. The members also committed to providing guidance to employers who are considering hiring those with criminal histories, something SHRM has encouraged through its Getting Talent Back to Work initiative.

October 1, 2019
SHRM CEO Johnny C. Taylor and Congressman Mark Walker (NC-06) took part in a discussion with students at North Carolina AT&T University on workforce development, job-training, and supporting diversity and inclusion in the workforce. SHRM is working with universities throughout the country to help create curricula that prepare students to succeed in the 21st-century economy.

Congressman Walker and Taylor also discussed the importance of providing second chances for those with criminal histories and SHRM’s Getting Talent Back to Work Pledge. You can support this effort by signing the pledge here.

september 25, 2019
In a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Members of the House Education and Labor Committee, SHRM voiced its opposition to H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019. SHRM argued that the legislation would hurt the HR profession by revoking attorney-client privilege during labor negotiations, violating employee privacy and shortening the union election timeframe. The legislation was passed by the House Education and Labor Committee and SHRM’s government affairs team will continue to monitor the bill as it moves through the legislative process.

september 18, 2019
SHRM sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy in opposition to H.R. 1423, the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (FAIR Act). SHRM expressed its support for both employers and employees having access to timely and fair resolution of workplace disputes. H.R. 1423 would prohibit the use of pre-dispute arbitration agreements for employment purposes even though they have been proven to be a fair, effective and less expensive means of resolving disputes compared to going to court.

July 1, 2019
SHRM President & CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. sent a letter to several members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees applauding their leadership in introducing the S.1383/H.R. 2618, the Portable Certification of Spouses Act. SHRM strongly supports S. 1383/H.R. 2618, which will improve the portability of professional licenses, providing certainty to military spouses and making it easier for them to continue working. This bipartisan legislation will benefit military families, local communities, and employers who are facing a growing skills gap.

We have seen drastic changes in the employment market, but the reality is it does nothing to erase the underlying skills gap. In fact, it may exacerbate the skills gap in the long term. We need to continue to forge a better alliance between education and employment, invest in workforce training and open our recruiting efforts to nontraditional pools of talent.

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.
President and CEO, SHRM