HR / Fiscal Conference: What the heck happened?

Are you paying your exempt employees at least $50,440/year? Starting in 2016, you may have to in order to maintain their exempt status. And that’s not all…

In mid-September, OACAA hosted a one-day Human Resources / Fiscal Conference at the Crowne Plaza in Dublin for over sixty Community Action professionals across the state. Scott Warrick, who specializes in human resources and employment law and training, entertained a mix of Community Action management, human resources, and fiscal staff as he guided us through recent and upcoming changes to the employment laws. Just some of the morning topics included were: off-duty duties, 50-hour exempt agreement, various legal case reviews, and employees' rights to organize.

After lunch, Scott covered FMLA, ADA, and Workers Compensation similarities and differences, how they work and recent changes. Discussions included eligibility for FMLA, the importance of written essential functions in your job descriptions and much more.

Handouts were provided to attendees and can be made available to other OACAA members if requested. Please contact GregBollenbacher, Fiscal Director, for more information. Or, to learn more about the conference’s speaker, visit his website at www.scottwarrick.com, where you can find an abundance of resources on these and other topics.

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Greg has over 25 year's of experience in fiscal management in the Community Action Network and has worked with OACAA, since 2007, to manage all accounting and fiscal reporting. His experience also includes over six years as an accountant for local for-profit corporations. Gregn earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and his master's degree in business administration from Keller School of Business.

Building a strong bridge out of poverty

Jeffrey Diver presents Bridges Out of Poverty

Earlier this week I joined one of OCATO’s Internal Consultants (ICs) at a Bridges Out of Poverty training hosted by Ross CountyCommunity Action Commission for District Four. Jeffrey Diver, IC and executive director of Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families (SELF), delivered the training and challenged perceptions of poverty to break down stereotypes. By the end of the day, participants had gained a deeper understanding of the obstacles faced by those living in poverty.

Based on the book Bridges Out of Poverty by Ruby K. Payne, this nationally-known concept aims to remove barriers and build stronger and sustainable communities. Certified trainers introduce a framework that includes mental models and Hidden Rules of Class while also discussing key concepts of situational and generational poverty. Jeff facilitated discussions and showed video clips throughout the day to get us all looking through a different lens. The training served as a powerful reminder of what our customers struggle with every day. Each path to self-sufficiency is unique, and the Bridges Out of Poverty training is an excellent way to engage your staff, partners, and community.

Whether you’re a case manager, head start teacher, executive director, or any one of the over 6,000 professionals in the Ohio Community Action Network, this one-day training may be beneficial for you! Trainings are typically free for OACAA members. Visit our website or call us today to find out more.

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Kathryn A. Clausen, OACAA Communications Director

Kathryn has over a decade of nonprofit experience with more than half of that time spent directly in the Community Action Network. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication Summa Cum Laude from Franklin University, her associate’s degree from Ohio University and is currently pursuing her graduate degree from Kent State University. Kathryn manages the association’s public relations including regular communication federal and state lawmakers, media, OACAA members and the general public. She also supports CAs across the state as needed in their communication efforts.

What is on the table?

On occasion, I and other OACAA staff are asked why we place toys and candy on the tables at our conferences. With the Annual Summer Conference coming up next month, now is a great time to explain their purpose.

These toys are actually called “fidgets” and are tools to help self-regulate, calm stress and anxiety and can help you focus and retain information. You can get fidgets anywhere and they don’t have to be expensive. You’ve probably seen our baskets; they include stress balls, cars, bendable creatures and more. The fidgets promote movement and tactile input that is critical for some adult learners.

Learners that benefit from fidgets can be easy to spot when none are available to them. They may get up from their seat often, tap their foot or rummage through their purse or tote bag. They may read, re-read and flip through their program or handouts throughout the session, or they may even play with their name tag. They don’t do this on purpose, and it is not planned—many times they don’t even realize they are distracting anyone.

Adult Learning Styles teach us that learning can be enhanced when fidgets are introduced. Learning requires us to use both the left and right hemispheres of our brain and appropriate fidgeting can increase learning reception. Movement and sensory input can help direct restless movement.

So, at the next OACAA conference you attend, when you see the little creatures, stress balls, Slinky’s or figures, go ahead—pick one up! You may find that you too benefit from a fidget.

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Lorie McClain, Program Specialist

Lorie is a certified trainer in the Prep® Within My Reach curriculum, and Love’s Cradle® curriculum, Family Development Specialist and Family Development Specialist Trainer, as well as a certified Personal Financial Teacher. She is directly responsible for managing all of OACAA’s Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) and other funded programs.

What is the OACAA Poverty Simulation?

Lorie McClain, Program Specialist

The Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies’ (OACAA) Poverty Simulation is a walk in another person’s shoes. It’s about sharing experiences and making a connection to the conditions of those in poverty. Give yourself one time in this experience of poverty and it can lead you to a new understanding and renewed dedication to fighting against the ties that bind people to poverty.

During the 2-hour simulation, participants role play one month in the life of a low-income family and aim to provide their family’s most basic needs which include food, clothing, and shelter, while overcoming financial limitations such as unemployment, health issues, housing challenges, food insecurities and other obstacles. Family units interact with resources available in the mock community including banks, grocery stores, community action agencies, Job and Family Services, pawnshops, utilities, employers and more. The simulation occurs over four 15-minute “weeks” and mirrors life below or near the poverty line.

For 46.5 million people in the United States, poverty is not a simulation or game. OACAA’s poverty simulation illustrates the realities of poverty and emphasizes the awareness of policies in your community which hinder individuals from becoming self-sufficient. OACAA hopes this simulation will spark in the participants their desire to volunteer, fund, and initiate innovative ideas that will alleviate poverty and empower low-income families in their communities.

If your agency would like to be equipped to effect change in your area or organization by taking part in an OACAA’s Community Action Poverty Simulation please contact Josh Summer at josh@oacaa.org to check for availability. This simulation requires a large meeting space, 17 volunteers for resources that are available in the “mock community” and can be held with as few as 40 participants and as many as 148. The session includes a forum at which participants can express any misunderstandings they have/had about what it means to live in poverty and reflect on what they have learned.