Chicago Chapter
- APA
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January, 2009 Volume 3, Issue 1 |
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Newsletter of the Chicago Chapter of the American Payroll Association |
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2009
Calendar January No Meeting February 7– CPP Review Class 19--Chapter Meeting A Strong Career 21– CPP Review Class March 7– CPP & FPC Review Class 21--CPP & FPC Review Class April 4– CPP & FPC Review Class 11-CPP Review Class 22-Basic Payroll Skills May 19-23 – 27th Annual Congress, Long Beach. CA June 19 – Chapter Meeting Garnishments 27-28-Relay
for Life Westchester July No Meeting August 20 – Chapter Meeting Tax Day All Day Meeting Officer Elections September 6-11 National Payroll Week Celebration 16th Annual Illinois Statewide October 29—Chapter Meeting Preparing For Year End November 7-- Holiday Party Official newsletter of the Chicago
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Building on a Solid Foundation |
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Welcome
2009! As Chicago chapter
members this year promises to be filled with numerous opportunities to
strengthen your networking and educational foundations. Behind the scenes the officers have
established a calendar of events for your participation. We also dedicated 2009 to be the year of
“Building on your solid Foundation”.
We have under construction enhancements to our newsletter and
website. In an effort to retrieve
your correspondence in a timely manner, we have changed our address. Change of address cards will be mailed
separately for you to update your records.
Our new address is: Chicago
Chapter, 4740 W Cumberland
#355, Chicago, Il 60656. Our helpline
number, email and IP address all remain the same. We welcome your feedback on the enhancements. We anticipate an
exciting year and hope to see you at our chapter meetings, community
outreaches, networking events and appreciation activities. Sincerely, Mary Kazmierczak,
CPP (Mary Kay) Chicago Chapter
President
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CPP AND FPC CLASSES The classes are an excellent study guide to assist you in
preparing for the CPP / FPC exams, or as a review for current CPP’s and FPC's
to obtain continuing education requirements. The 6 day CPP class allows time
for a comprehensive review of the text, The Payroll Source, 2008. The
CPP / FPC classes will be held at ADP, 100 Northwest Point Blvd,
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 on the following dates: |
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2009
Chapter Officers
President Mary Kazmierczak, CPP Vice President Paula Black, CPP Recording Secretary Kathy Mizejewski. CPP Treasurer Hank Mazik, CPP Gov. Liaison Carolyn Kerkman CPP Correspondence Secretary Mary Weiner, CPP Education Director Katie Staffeldt, CPP |
CPP-FPC
Class Cont. Reserve your space! Call the Chapter Helpline at:(773)
631-8480 or New
Educational Grant: The Winner is: The Chapter is proud to announce that David Scora, CPP,
SPHR won the Educational Grant for our CPP/FPC Class for 2009. Chicago Chapter Annual Recognition and
Holiday Party Celebration The Chicago Chapter
held its annual CPP/FPC Recognition Dinner and Holiday Benefit on November
22nd. It was a wonderful evening
filled with lots of good food, presentations, entertainment (both the
expected and the unexpected kind) and just lots of fun. Congratulations
to all who received their CPP or FPC pins that night. You have joined an elite group of payroll
professionals and you should be very proud of yourself. It takes a lot of effort and self
motivation to come to class, study, take the test and then pass the
test. Pat yourself on the back for a
job well done. Don’t forget to get
those RCH’s so you don’t have to take that test again. We recognized our
FPC and CPP class instructors, special members, and vendors who supported us
in 2008. Emily Rook, CPP and President of the APA, was our keynote
speaker. And everyone was entertained
by Sidney Friedman; Psychic
& Mentalist to the Stars. Thanks to your
generosity, The Off the Street Club received many, many donations for their
December Children’s event. Thank you to everyone who donated toys to this
worthwhile cause. I’m sure there
will be a lot of happy children who will have a Merry Christmas this year
because of your generosity. We received
a special Thank You call from Ralph at ‘Off the Street Club.’ He was very grateful for all of our
donations. The
evening ended with door prizes to give away and for those that stayed;
dancing. Thank
you all for your dedication and support to the Chicago Chapter in 2008. We wish you all the best for a happy and
successful 2009. |
Chicago chapter will
be visiting the Ronald McDonald House in late January to deliver the
extraordinary collection of pop tops. Once the date is established we will
email you an invite. We hope you can
join us!
The board is here to
support our members and we welcome the opportunity to participate in
charitable organizations that hold meaning to you. APA Access Corner Has the cold and
dreary weather of Chicago, sparked dreams of a sunny and warm get a way? How about visiting Long Beach
California? The 27th
annual Congress is sure to be the hottest ticket for enhancing your education
and networking capacity. Start
planning your trip now by saving the dates May 19-23, 2009 The APA is the
number one source for a diversified menu of educational materials, courses
and webinars. Visit www.americanpayroll.org and purchase your reference materials or
register to attend a meeting or Congress. February Seminar Join us for the first meeting of 2009! Save the date –February 19th! A Strong Career---
Resumes through Retirement. This is
a must tend meeting especially with the economic instability we are being
challenged with in recent times.
Guest speaker Marilyn Fettner will provide an interactive workshop on
creating cover letters, resumes and interviewing skills. Gain insightful
information on hiring from both perspectives. To conclude our meeting Fidelity Investments will share
strategic investment options as seen through payroll administrative
practices. There will be three RCH’s
for attending this meeting. Secure
your space by registering today!
Visit our website for further details. To view pictures from
the Holiday Party please click here: Page 2 Page 2 |
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Upcoming Chapter
Meetings
February 19 9:00 am to 1:00 pm A Strong Career ADP 100 Northwest Point Blvd Elk Grove, IL Continental Breakfast 8:30 am April 22 9 am to 12:00 pm Basic Payroll Skills TBD Continental
Breakfast 8:30 am June 19 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Garnishments Information Resources Chicago, IL Continental Breakfast 8:30 am June 27-28 6:00 pm-6:00 am Relay for Life American Cancer Society Westchester August 20 9:00 am-4:00 pm Tax Day Officer Elections Continental
Breakfast 8:30 am White Eagle Banquet October 29 9:00-12:30 pm Preparing For Year End ADP 100 Northwest Point Blvd Elk Grove, IL Continental Breakfast 8:30 am November 7 Holiday Party Wellington Elk Grove Village |
This new section of
our newsletter id developed to acknowledge our member accomplishments and
announce our chapter raffle winners. We will also acknowledge our vendors and
chapter contest awards. This being the first
entry, please indulge me as I would like to take this opportunity to thank
the “significant others” of our officers.
To Marge, Fred, Ed, Keith, Karen, Jim and Mike, special thanks go out
to you for your support of us as we serve our professional family. The chapter success would not be possible
without their support and assistance. The American Payroll
Association (APA) sponsors contests for chapters to partake in throughout the
year. There are two main contests
each year, The Chapter of the Year, (COTY) and National Payroll Week
(NPW). The COTY submission has been
drafted by, Chris O’Hara, CPP and sent in for review by APA, which is
announced at Congress in May. There are many tiers of this contest, and we
will also be submitting entries on “The Pictorial Contest”, by Katie
Stafffeldt, CPP and “The website contest” by Hank Mazik, CPP. Thank you for
providing those entries on the Chapters behalf. In regards to NPW
contests, Chicago did very well in 2008.
The APA awarded the Chapter 1st place for Local Government
Outreach. We requested proclamations from sixty five state, city and local
municipalities and were granted twenty-two. Thank you to all
that purchased NPW items from APA, as the purchases brought the Chapter 2nd
place in the Chapter promotion contest. The chapter also placed 3rd
in two other NPW contest areas, “Educational Outreach and “Online survey
promotion”. In the area of Local Media outreach we earned an honorable
mention. Prizes from the
contest include one registration to Congress, which will be raffled to our
officers at our January board meeting.
The Chapter also has been awarded two APA speakers for our meetings
and/or Statewide, which will provide our members with wonderful educational
opportunities. Lastly, the chapter is
being provided one Payroll Source, which will be raffled to our members in
attendance at the April Meeting. Thank you for your
dedication and participation with chapter offerings. It is through your participation that the
chapter remains strong and successful.
If you have a
special recognition you would like to share with the payroll community, send
the information to us via email or letter to our mailbox. . |
Mark your Calendars:
Friday February 6th is National Wear Red Day for the American Heart
Association! Join with millions of women, as well as companies,
organizations and cities across America on National Wear Red Day, Friday,
Feb. 6, 2009. By wearing red and making a donation, you'll help the
American Heart Association support ongoing research and education about women
and heart disease. Plan a Wear Red Day 1. Start by registering as a Wear Red
Day Coordinator/Host. You'll get free, downloadable tools to help you plan
and execute your Wear Red Day. They're available on your registration confirmation
email. (Already registered to host a Wear Red Day event?
Then please visit this page.) 2. Next, visit Shop
Go Red to find apparel, accessories and more from our sponsors
to help you show your support for women and the fight against heart disease. 3. Download our
free Conversations from the Heart: A Go Red For Women
Discussion Guide to get the conversation going about
heart health. Share it with your HR representative, employer, coworkers,
family, friends. 4. Make a connection with
your local American Heart Association. 5. See the cities and companies below that helped make National Wear Red
Day a success. The Choice Is Yours How will you make a
heart difference? I choose to eat
baked, not fried I choose to be
empowered I choose to show my
support I choose to move,
not sit I choose to inspire
and connect I choose to wear Red
in support Page 3
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Government Corner I am pleased to share with you a press release
that announces that the Social Security Administration will be the first government
agency to utilize the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). To
make disability decisions, Social Security relies on doctors, hospitals, and
others in the healthcare field to provide medical records in a timely
fashion. Beginning in early 2009, Social Security will receive medical
records for some disability applicants electronically through the NHIN
gateway. This will significantly shorten the time it takes to make a
disability decision and make the process more efficient. The
Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) is being developed to provide a
secure, nationwide, interoperable health information infrastructure that will
connect providers, consumers, and others involved in supporting health and
healthcare. This critical part of the national health IT agenda will enable
health information to follow the consumer, be available for clinical decision
making, and support appropriate use of healthcare information beyond direct
patient care so as to improve health. The NHIN seeks to achieve these goals by:
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Government Corner
–(con’t) Promoting a more
effective marketplace, greater competition, and increased choice through
accessibility to accurate information on healthcare costs, quality, and
outcomes The Office of the National Coordinator is advancing the Nationwide
Health Information Network (NHIN) as a ‘network of networks,” which will
connect diverse entities that need to exchange health information, such as
state and regional health information exchanges (HIEs), integrated delivery
systems, health plans that provide care, personally controlled health
records, Federal agencies, and other networks as well as the systems they, in
turn, connect. ONC
is advancing the development of the NHIN using a three-phased approach:
Please follow this
link to a listing of Bank Holidays, a Calendar of Events, Fast Wage 2009,
Local APA Courses, Soc-Med 2009 and The dates for Tax Deposits due for the 1st,
2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters of 2009.
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Time to Join or Renew APA Memberships 2009! Chicago Chapter Membership 2009 Who needs to
pay dues? Per our by-laws Chapter Dues apply to everyone – board members, CPP
& FPC attendees and teachers, continuing members, etc. To maintain
benefits, members are required to renew their membership each year. Like the rising gas costs, Chapter Dues for 2009 are increasing to
$50.00. You can pay by Credit
Card at www.chicagopayroll.com and join/renew online or by sending us
a check payable to Chicago Chapter APA at Chicago Chapter APA, P.O. Box 836,
Chicago, IL 60690-0836. Be sure to include your name, company name, address,
email and phone number and APA National Membership Number. Chapter
Purpose and Member Benefits The Chicago
Chapter exists to share and promote knowledge, professionalism, high
standards of performance, networking and communication among payroll
professionals in the Chicago area through offering educational events and
community service activities. Chapter Benefits
include: · Organization website www.chicagopayroll.com featuring chapter educational events,
compliance updates, job opportunities, networking events and vendors; links
to National APA site and other key payroll websites · Monthly Newsletter – keeps members up to
date with the latest and upcoming events · Hotline Service –assistance with payroll
topics provided by member volunteers |
· Education and training – members receive
admission discounts and recertification credits for attending quarterly
educational sessions, FPC & CPP review and study groups and the IL
Statewide conference · Access to 200 local Members - networking
with professionals in your same industry, size, software services and
expertise on various payroll topics · Participation in award-winning Chapter
that is acknowledged at APA National level for their achievements; past
presidents who have also become presidents at the national level · Promote community service through
payroll education for various groups and charity events
National
APA Membership 2009 If you have not
joined the National APA Membership or you were a member and let your
membership lapse, now is the time! Go to www.americanpayroll.org join or renew today! Page 5 Page 5 |
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Mailing Address: Chicago Chapter APA 4740 N Cumberland
#355 Chicago, IL 60656 Phone: (773) 631-8480 {24-hr. Recording) E-mail : Chicago_Chapter_apa@hotmail.com NPW Corner : Tell us what you are planning for NPW. |
THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with Robert Wilson Deadlines Work As I sit here
writing this column against the deadline, I’m reminded of my days as a young
advertising copywriter when I occasionally needed a deadline as motivation to
finish a boring project. The deadline
did more than motivate me to finish -- more often than not, it was what
finally stimulated enough creative thinking to move me forward -- in other
words, it motivated me to think outside of the box. “Thinking outside of
the box.” Boy, has that phrase become overused. People are so often telling us that we need to think outside of
the box that it has fallen into the realm of cliché. Never-the-less it is still true. Sometimes, however, we need to be put into
a box first before we can think outside of it. A deadline is just such a box. I used to believe that the more freedom I
had the more creative I could be. But
it doesn’t necessarily work that way.
Ingenuity needs to be motivated by something, and if the desire to
achieve isn’t there, then an uncomfortable boundary may work. Have you ever
watched a man or a woman with one leg running a marathon or competing in
downhill snow skiing? I have, and
every time I’m deeply impressed because I have both of my legs and I can’t do
either one. I used to wonder why they
were able to do so much more than me when I was the one born with the greater
advantage. Now I can see that the
difference is that they were challenged by a boundary and I wasn’t. Some of them might even argue that they
were the ones born with the greater advantage. Being unable to walk made them uncomfortable, and conquering
their disability became a powerful motivating factor. They had to get out of that box! Think of creativity
as a prisoner trying to bust out of jail.
When your resources and opportunities are limited you must become
innovative. A good illustration of
this is the World War II movie The Great Escape. It is an amazing tale of ingenuity. Men with little to work with escape from a
German POW camp. In addition to digging three tunnels without shovels, they
made hand drawn traveling documents and identification papers that looked authentic
enough to pass for ones made on a printing press. Now that was a box to get
out of! |
Deadlines Work,
Cont. I have enjoyed
working for myself most of my adult life.
People frequently tell me they wish they could be self-employed like I
am. They say things like, “If I could just get one client then I could quit
my job.” My response is always the
same, “Until you quit your job, you are never going to find that first
client. There is nothing like the deadline of a rent or mortgage payment staring
you down at the end of the month to motivate you to get out and look for
clients.” Everyone works under
some kind of deadline. They force us
to prioritize our responsibilities; they limit procrastination; and they help
us achieve our work related goals.
But, we often lack them in our private lives. We are not given deadlines to accomplish
our most important personal goals and without those boundaries
procrastination can creep in and destroy our best intentions. The trick is to
impose a deadline on yourself. But it
has to have some teeth to work. Here’s how to do
it: Write down your goal. Then set a reasonable date in which you
can achieve it. Next, go to your bank
or attorney and set up an escrow account.
Now add the teeth--put into the account an amount of money that will
hurt to lose: $1,000... $10,000...
$100,000...You decide! Set it up so
that if you haven’t achieved your goal by the deadline then the funds go to a
favorite charity... or make it even
more motivating: let the funds go to your worst enemy! Not ready to try
that? Then try the buddy system. Pair up with a friend and each of you
takes responsibility to follow up on the other one. You can get together once a week and check on each other’s
progress. If goals aren’t being met,
then nag each other into the UnComfort Zone! Robert Evans Wilson,
Jr. is a motivational speaker and humorist. He works with companies
that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like
innovators. For more information on Robert's programs please visit www.jumpstartyourmeeting.com. Page 6 |
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