CHRA Membership

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The Chesapeake Human Resources Association is made up of individual members. All rights and privileges of membership are the domain of the individual regardless of company affiliation. There are three categories of Membership:  Please see Code of Ethics.

Why Join CHRA

"CHRA has been most helpful to me over the past 30+ years. It provides a Human Resources network of professionals with whom to discuss HR issues and changes. It continues to be a valuable source of local information regarding employment policies and trends."

Mark Ewing - Deputy Director of Human Resources
Baltimore County Government

"I find CHRA valuable because I get the opportunity to meet HR professionals from all types of disciplines and backgrounds. The diversity of talent and experiences that people bring to CHRA lends itself to beneficial knowledge sharing. Hearing about best practices and lessons learned from fellow CHRA members has been very useful in helping me to tackle HR challenges."

Lynnlee Friia, PHR - Manager, HR Shared Services
BD Diagnostics

***CHRA's Membership year runs from June 1st - May 31st.
If you are joining in a month other than June please see below to calculate your prorated membership amount . If you have any questions please contact CHRA at 410-752-3318***

Professional Active Membership
Annual dues are
$75.00 for SHRM members - (prorated amount $6.25 per month)
$90.00 for non-SHRM members - (prorated amount $7.50 per month)

Membership in the Professional Active category shall include:

• Current or Previous Human Resources Practitioners whose employment careers focus/focused on managing human resources functions while working either in an HR department or an academic institution. A minimum of 50% of their job responsibilities and work time is/was spent managing human resource activities

• Academicians at the post-secondary level whose course-load is in human resources-related areas.

• Placement and/or Career Service Professionals employed by an academic institution.
  
  
• Retired Human Resources Professionals.

Professional Affiliate Membership
Annual dues are $90.00 - (prorated amount $7.50 per month)

Membership in the Professional Affiliate category shall include:

• HR consultants, recruiters and service providers whose practice / market is limited to the Human Resources profession, consistent with the mission of the Association.

* Affiliate Limit - the total number of affiliate members shall not exceet 25% of the total association membership as of 12/31 each year as statedin the CHRA bylaws.

** Please see the Affiliate Marketing and Networking Guidelines below.

Associate Membership
Annual dues are $90.00 - (prorated amount $7.50 per month)

Membership in the Associate category shall include:

• Associate members do not meet the criteria of the Professional category but shall be pursuing a degree in Human Resources or professional certification (PHR, SPHR, CCP, CEBS). Associate members may be eligible to join a Student Chapter as outlined in Article XI, Section 1, Student Chapters. Associate Members do not have voting rights in the Association.

• Applicants who have achieved SPHR or PHR certification will be considered for Professional Membership.

Benefits of Membership

Membership Application

Click here to access the membership application

Mail to the following address along with a check for the first dues payment.

Jennifer Thornton,  Executive Director
Chesapeake Human Resources Association Headquarters
720 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21230-3816
Phone: (410) 752-3318
Fax: (410) 752-8295
Email: CHRA@ASSNHQTRS.COM

By applying for membership in the Chesapeake Human Resources Association, applicants are agreeing to abide by the following Code of Ethics. Prospective members who are service providers to HR professionals should pay particular attention to the last section, which prohibits members from using the membership list to solicit business.

CODE OF ETHICS

As a member of the Chesapeake Human Resources Association, I acknowledge my responsibility to strive for personal growth in my chosen career field and commit myself to observe the following ethical practices:

I will respect the dignity of the individual as one of the essential elements of success in any enterprise.

I will demonstrate and promote the spirit of cooperative effort between owner, employee, and the general public, directly or indirectly connected with the enterprise.

I will advance those ethical employee relations concepts in personnel administration and labor relations which contribute to the objectives of the enterprise.

I will reveal the facts in any situation where my private interests are in conflict with those of my employer or other principals.

I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, sex, age, party politics, or social standing to influence my professional activities.

I will strive to attain and demonstrate a professional level of competence within the body of knowledge comprising the management field.

I will encourage and participate in research to develop and advance new and improved management methods, skills and practices sharing the productive results of such research with others.

I will not use the Association, its Membership Roster, or materials for the solicitation of business or other similar purposes.

Affiliate Marketing and Networking Guidelines
(Board Approval on 3/14/01)

The CHRA Code of Ethics prohibits use of the Association, its Membership Roster, or materials for the solicitation of business or other similar purposes. Many of our members appreciate this non-solicitation policy. However, one of the main functions of CHRA is to provide an environment for the exchange of ideas and networking with members. There is a fine line between solicitation of business and networking. The Board of Directors endorses the following guidelines (in question/answer format) in an effort to make the line clearer and easier to recognize:

1.    Are affiliates out of bounds if they give out business card(s) to one or more members at a CHRA function?

As with any business event, when you are interacting with individuals at a CHRA event, it is appropriate to inquire as to the type of business and/or work someone does. If the person makes the same inquiry of an affiliate member, it is appropriate to share the same information. As with most business situations, it is also appropriate to exchange business cards after this type of business conversation. It is not appropriate to just pass out your cards to everyone with whom you come in contact.

2.    Is it acceptable to follow up the receipt of a business card with a telephone call, mailing, e-mail or other means?

If the CHRA member indicated they wanted a follow up call, letter or e-mail, then by all means, do so. If it was merely an exchange of business cards, the following guidelines apply:

• A follow-up telephone call would be appropriate only if specifically requested.
  
• Unsolicited e-mail is also inappropriate.
  
• A letter in the mail offering future services is OK if you had a conversation with this individual and they did not specifically tell you they were not interested.
  
• Newsletter by mail or fax is acceptable.
  
• Invitation to an educational event is acceptable by mail or fax.
  

3.    Is it OK to send holiday cards with your company name on it to all members listed in the directory?

This is acceptable as long as solicitation is not a part of the card either directly or indirectly.

4.    Is it acceptable to ask another CHRA member to recommend our products or services?

This is acceptable if you have a professional relationship with this person.

5.    Can I use CHRA to build business?

Yes-by building relationships. By working on committees and lending your expertise to projects and programs when called upon. Through volunteering, you can better understand the needs of CHRA members and through networking, they can understand what you have to offer.

6.    How can I use the membership directory?

• You may use it to find the name and number of someone who you may have met at an event.
• You may use it to contact a member to ask for help (see #8)
• You may not use it to market your business or solicit business

7.    Can I pass out literature about my business at CHRA functions?

If you are at a CHRA approved table as a vendor or sponsor (both opportunities are available for a fee).

8.    Can I call upon members when I have a question and want ideas on how other people might handle a particular situation?

Yes, this is a value of belonging to an organization like CHRA. It provides opportunities to learn from each other, both formally and informally. This type of phone call should not be used to solicit business in any way. You may also want to use the listserve for this purpose.

9.    How can I get information to CHRA members about an education session my organization is offering?

You can do this in a couple of ways: you can place a paid advertisement in the ChesaSpeak (CHRA’s Newsletter) or you can ask for a complimentary listing in the newsletter of an upcoming event. You cannot, however, send a notice to all members in the directory.

10.    Can I send my newsletter to all members listed in the Membership Directory?

You can only send your newsletter to members with whom you have established a relationship (see #2).

If at anytime a CHRA member asks you to leave them alone (stop calling, take them off a mailing list, stop sending faxes or e-mails) please do so immediately.

Join SHRM today for $160!

Click here to access the SHRM membership application.

The Chesapeake Human Resources Association is professionally managed by The Joseph E. Shaner Company