Cities across Georgia are faced with recruiting and retaining a workforce to support current and future municipal service levels.

However, many cities don’t have a designated, trained Human Resources or Personnel department to help them meet this ongoing challenge. GMA’s Human Resources Administration Certificate (HRAC) Program includes five classes specifically designed to provide city elected officials and appointed staff with the tools necessary to successfully recruit, train and retain talent to provide services to their communities. The program is targeted at city clerks, department heads, supervisors, staff handling HR duties and mayor and councilmembers who must address human resources administration.

Current plans are to offer the five classes virtually in December 2020. Cost of registration for each class is $100. Classes are from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

• December 9: Personnel Law: Basic employment laws and their applicability to cities. Cities need to know the basics of Personnel Law and weave through the “mine fields” of potential litigation. This class will provide participants with a good foundation on laws such as FLSA, FMLA, HIPPA, Title VII and other pertinent laws and regulations.

• December 16: Talent Management: Getting employees “on the bus” and helping all members of the workforce understand the city’s mission and objectives and relaying the importance of ongoing plans and job descriptions; understanding workers compensation, claims administration, payroll administration, overtime requirements as well as the administration of cafeteria plans. Participants will explore different types of employee benefits, retirement plans and other benefits to recruit and retain employees.

• January 6, 2021: Personnel Policies: Participants will gain an understanding of how to develop personnel policies that are straightforward, easy to administer, and provide protection to employees and to the city. Participants will discuss and examine commonly used personnel policies that are easy for all parties to understand and balance the needs and expectations of the employee and city.

• January 13, 2021: Performance Management Systems: Participants will review and learn to develop performance evaluations that include measurable and objective criteria and that have been tried and tested in the workplace. Participants will also examine best practices to administer performance evaluations to promote communication and provide useful feedback to employees, facilitate better working relationships, provide a historical record of performance, and contribute to professional development without overburdening supervisory staff.