Who are we? Strong human resource practitioners with a passion for making significant impact on the   organizations we support.   Our team consists of experienced HR Business Partners who are committed to client success. As a Helios HR Business Partner, you are an employee of our energetic team.

What do we do? We provide sound human resource advice and counsel that enables our clients to align the contribution of their workforce with key strategic goals.  We accomplish this by utilizing a multi-dimensional support strategy. We provide dedicated HR Business Partners to meet specific client needs. In addition, we leverage the skills of our entire team to help organizations establish enhanced operational infrastructures, allowing them to attract, retain, and engage the best possible workforce.

Why join our team? As  a Helios consultant your role will be varied and  stimulating  as  you will  have   multiple  client  and project assignments throughout  the  year.   Projects and clients vary; some will be on-going retained assignments, where you will provide a full scope of HR client services from strategic planning   initiatives   to   day-to-day   implementation.  Each venture presents challenging and interesting   work   and will   allow you to collaborate with clients and Helios HR team members   to cultivate   ideas   and   deliver results.   Helios   HR   team   members   are provided   avenues   for   constant professional development.  We believe so strongly in continued development that it is one of our corporate competencies.  Our career path is intentional and focused, providing opportunities to grow your subject matter expertise and/or your management skills.

Are   you   ready? If  you’re  results  oriented,  self-motivated,  and  passionate  about success,  we  want  you  to  be  a  part  of  our team! We are experiencing continuous growth and are looking  for  full and part-time consultants. We are seeking junior, mid-level and senior professionals with a human resources generalist background and a relevant Bachelor’s degree (Master’s in HR or MBA and professional certification are preferred).

In addition to advancing your professional career, we offer competitive compensation and benefits. Helios HR offers part-time and full time opportunities, performing work at both client sites and remotely.

We are an active Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, M/F/D/V.

As the economy continues to shrink, increased pressure for companies to maximize their resources, time, money and with it, a whole new generation of best practices has emerged…

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Charting a Career Course in 2012 — Developing an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Beth Singh, Sr. HRBP
It’s that time of year again, the time when individuals and organizations are most likely to think about what lies ahead and what they plan to do about it. Of course, an argument could be made that in the context of future-focused development planning, that time should really be continuous, but that’s a discussion for another day. Let’s talk instead about the opportunity you have in front of you right now, as a leader of others, to help your employees chart their course this year.
Many of us who have been in management for a while can easily underestimate the power of what’s before us when we enter development planning discussions. After all, it’s possible that many of us charted our own course or frankly, that we happened upon what we learned a little more organically than employees do now. Today, the landscape is different. Not only is there an opportunity to initiate planning discussions with employees. There’s a responsibility, to the people and to the business. After all, if you aren’t talking to your employees about their development, someone else is or will be soon.
So what does that look like in the days of a multi-generational workforce, with limited time and likely, even more limited dollars available? You might be surprised to learn that getting started doesn’t have to be terribly complicated at all and in fact, it doesn’t have to cost much either.
Here are some Individual Development Planning (IDP) tips:

• Invest the time — IDP’s are a great engagement and retention tool when done well and in the spirit of continuous growth. Initiate the dialogue and offer your honest, constructive assessment of performance and potential, based on the individual’s skills and the organization’s priorities.
• Give adequate, if not slightly more, weight to reinforcing strengths than to developing weaknesses. Sure, we all have to develop the areas that challenge us and a strong IDP likely does push us out of our comfort zone just a bit, but companies and individuals gain much more when they can identify and grow natural talents.
  “One cannot build on weaknesses. To achieve results, one has to use all the available strengths…These strengths are the true opportunities” (Drucker, 1967)
• Encourage employees to develop a plan that is interesting, achievable, practical and realistic — for both the employee and the organization (HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector). Your job is to initiate the discussion and to approve the final plan. Employees play a critical and lead role in the plan’s development and its continued momentum.
• Remember that there are many options available to develop employees. Think creatively about on-the-job training, committee work, leadership opportunities, job rotation, job shadowing, “stretch” assignments (with appropriate support), webinars, offsite training and conferences. The direct costs of most of these are nominal.

The bottom line is, start somewhere and set the standard. If your organization isn’t there yet, you can still engage your team in these development-oriented discussions. I assure you that they will see the value and will likely demonstrate it in their engagement in the job and commitment to the organization. As with most things after all, it’s the sincerity of the gesture, the welcoming of the dialogue and the commitment to mutual success that have the most profound impact on the courses we chart in life.
To sign up to receive “The Chariot” click: http://www.helioshr.com/resources/chariot-newsletter

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities. The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President’s national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. MLK Day is a chance to start the year off right by making an impact in your community. Share with us what you are doing today in honor of Martin Luther King day!

For a list of opportunities in our neighborhood, please visit here.

On Thursday, December 15, 2011, Helios partnered with the Easter Seals Veterans Employment Program (VEP) to assist with their ‘Job Prep Workshops’ which educates veterans on job search strategies, resume techniques, and current labor market information.  The workshop included briefings and presentations from Helios and other employers looking to hire veterans.  The workshop also included an employment panel where Helios was able to answer questions and exchange information on job search strategies with the veterans.

Program History

In July 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment Training Service (VETS) awarded Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region the opportunity to take on the Veteran Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) grant over the course of three years. Each year, funds will be allotted to provide career guidance, placement assistance, and green jobs training for eligible unemployed veterans who reside in Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Jobs may include, though not limited to, weatherization, janitorial, administrative, construction, or computer trades/IT.

Military & Veterans Services

The crisis facing the nation in meeting the physical and mental health needs of the Armed Forces having served in Iraq and Afghanistan is overwhelming and continues to grow. Thousands of injured military service members are returning home with hopes of successfully transitioning to civilian life. Many communities are not equipped to respond appropriately to their unique need, nor are they aware of how to best work with military and Veterans systems in the process.  Easter Seals’ Military & Veterans services respond to this call to action. As the largest provider of disability-related services to individuals with disabilities and their families, Easter Seals offers military and Veterans systems of care with viable options to support and augment current reintegration efforts.

Employment Services:
Employment services range from vocational assessments to community service opportunities and include work adjustment and skills training, computer skills training, job placement, and self employment programs.   More than two thirds of Easter Seals affiliates provide workforce development services in 140 centers in 39 states. Easter Seals Oregon and Easter Seals Greater Washington Baltimore work specifically with Veterans through a grant from the Department of Labor. Other affiliates engaged in employment services for Veterans include Easter Seals Alabama, Easter Seals Colorado, Easter Seals East Georgia, Easter Seals Middle Georgia, Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Easter Seals Crossroads, Easter Seals Iowa, Easter Seals West Kentucky, Easter Seals Northern Rocky Mountain, Easter Seals San Antonio, and Easter Seals Wisconsin.

For more information on the Easter Seals Veterans Employment Program click here: http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_military_veterans

When someone mentions healthcare reform what exactly are they referring to? This term has become synonymous with The Affordable Care Act that was signed into law March 2010 by President Obama. The law, which rolls out over the next few years with most changes occurring in 2014, is a common topic in America’s boardrooms as companies develop their strategic plans for future growth. The decisions made in these boardrooms over the next few years will provide the backdrop for the future of healthcare coverage in the workplace.

The law was designed with the intention that medical coverage will not only become affordable for every American, but by 2014 each American will be required to have coverage. In addition, employers will be faced with the “Pay or Play” decision in 2014, which simply means that employees will either be provided healthcare by their employer (the Play option) or coverage will have to be purchased through an Exchange on an after tax basis (the Pay option). If employers choose to “Pay” rather than “Play”, employees will be forced to purchase healthcare coverage somewhere else.

The most recent changes that took place in 2011 include coverage for children up to the age of 26, removal of lifetime maximums from existing and new medical plans and no cost sharing for preventive healthcare. In addition, the exclusion of over the counter drugs paid by Flexible Spending accounts was enacted.

Going forward in 2012 employers will be required to report the value of employee health coverage on individual W2’s. The plan value will not be included as taxable income for employees. This W2 reporting is a tracking mechanism and was designed to support the 40% excise tax employers with high cost plans will be subject to in 2018. Employers will want to take a proactive approach and discuss these W2 requirements with their payroll providers to ensure they are planning for these upcoming changes.

As 2014 draws closer, the debate in Congress continues over healthcare reform. The issue is bipartisan and some organizations are jumping on the bandwagon by filing lawsuits claiming the law is unconstitutional. Whatever the outcome, the next few years are going to be very interesting as organizations decide whether or not to use a health plan as a competitive advantage in attracting top talent.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) have issuedthe cost of living increases for qualified retirement plans for 2012. The 401(k) elective deferral limit (i.e. 402(g)) has increased for 2012, but the catch-up contribution limit has remained unchanged.

Highlights of the limits for 2012 include the following:

• 401(k) elective deferral limit - $16, 500 in 2011 to $17, 000 in 2012
• Catch-up contribution limit - $5,500 in 2011 to $5,500 in 2012
• Section 415 limit (DC) - $49,000 in 2011 to $50,000 in 2012
• Section 415 limit (DB) - $195, 000 in 2011 to $200,000 in 2012
• Section 401(a)(17) includible compensation - $245, 000 in 2011 to $250,000 in 2012
• HCE definition - $110,000 in 2011 to $115, 000 in 2012
• Key employee definition - $160,000 in 2011 to $165,000 in 2012
• FICA taxable wage base - $106, 800 in 2011 to $110,100 in 2012

The full press release from the IRS announcing this year’s contribution limits can be found here.