The second of this two-course series will provide additional Human Resources fundamentals for those workers touching the HR function without necessarily having an HR background. This course will cover more strategic HR initiatives, helping you directly and by extension your employee group, to deliver on strategic goals. We will pay special attention to Federal employment laws as they guide the functional areas addressed in the course. The objective of this course is to support the work you do in your role and build your knowledge of and confidence in making effective employment-related HR decisions.
The topics include:
- Week One: Leadership — Being a great leader and building leaders throughout your organization (Key areas: Building your network, change management, leadership and motivation theories, strategic planning, and succession planning)
- Week Two: Compensation and Benefits — Identify and implement a successful philosophy to your total rewards (Key areas: Philosophy of compensation, benefits package for recruitment and retention)
- Week Three: Risk and Rewards — What to plan for, build towards, and mitigate within your organization (Key areas: Risk management and technology considerations)
- Week Four: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice — Be transformative in building your culture, with particular emphasis to DEI (Key areas: Understanding terms, execution of initiatives, and why it matters)
- Week Five: Federal Employment Laws 2 — Key laws that drive the employment experience (Key areas: Review of select Federal laws)
- Week Six: Where to Go from Here — Plotting your future from an HR perspective (Key areas: Certification opportunities and course review)
The live Zoom lessons will be held on Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Central Time. These lessons will also be recorded for on-demand access.
Audience Level
Intermediate
Key:
Complete
Next
Failed
Available
Locked
Week One: Leadership - Being a great leader and building leaders throughout your organization
Discussion
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please answer the following questions:
1. Name a leader you respect.
2. Provide the reason(s) you named the leader.
3. Offer a tip of your own on being a strong leader.
Week One: Leadership
Select the "View On-Demand Recording" button to begin. | 60 minutes
Select the "View On-Demand Recording" button to begin. | 60 minutes
Week One: Leadership — Being a great leader and building leaders throughout your organization (Key areas: Building your network, change management, leadership and motivation theories, strategic planning, and succession planning)
Week 1 Supplemental Reading
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
HR 2 Week 1 Quiz
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 60 minute limit | 7/10 points to pass
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 60 minute limit | 7/10 points to pass
Week Two: Compensation and Benefits — identify and implement a successful philosophy to your total rewards (Key areas: philosophy of compensation; benefits package for recruitment and retention)
Discussion
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please answer the following questions:
1. Name a favorite benefit you had in your career.
2. What is a dream benefit you would like as an employee (the sky is the limit)?
Compensation and Benefits
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please post in the Discussion Board your answer to the two questions.
Week Two: Compensation and Benefits
09/18/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
09/18/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
Week Two: Compensation and Benefits — Identify and implement a successful philosophy to your total rewards (Key areas: Philosophy of compensation, benefits package for recruitment and retention)
Week 2 Supplemental Reading
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
HR 2 Week 2 Quiz
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 60 minute limit | 7/10 points to pass
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 60 minute limit | 7/10 points to pass
Week Three: Risk and Rewards — what to plan for, build towards and mitigate within your organization (Key areas: risk management; technology considerations)
Discussion
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please answer the following questions:
1. Does your organization have an Emergency Preparedness Plan (Yes or No)?
2. Does your organization have a Business Continuity Plan (Yes or No)?
3. What responsibilities, if any, do you have related to managing risk at your organization?
4. What makes you lose sleep at night over potential risk at your organization (optional answer – feel free to be ‘vague’)?
Week 3 Supplemental Reading
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
WEEK THREE - RISK MANAGEMENT When Are Criminal Background Checks Permitted
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Week Three: Risk and Rewards
09/25/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
09/25/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
Week Three: Risk and Rewards — What to plan for, build towards, and mitigate within your organization (Key areas: Risk management and technology considerations)
HR 2 Week 3 Quiz
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 60 minute limit | 7/10 points to pass
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 60 minute limit | 7/10 points to pass
Week Four: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice — be transformative in building your culture, with particular emphasis to DEI (Key areas: understanding terms; execution of initiatives; why it matters)
Reading - Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Read the attached article on why belonging matters.
Discussion
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please answer the following questions:
How is your organizational addressing Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the country’s ever-changing climate for DEI initiatives in the workplace?
Week 4 Supplemental Reading
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Week Four: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice
10/02/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
10/02/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
Week Four: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice — Be transformative in building your culture, with particular emphasis to DEI (Key areas: Understanding terms, execution of initiatives, and why it matters)
HR 2 Week 4 Quiz
10 Questions | 1 attempt | 7/10 points to pass
10 Questions | 1 attempt | 7/10 points to pass
Week Five: Employment Laws (Federal) Two — key laws that drive the employment experience (Key areas: select federal laws review)
Reading - Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Read the attached document.
Discussion
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please answer the following questions:
Working for a law firm, how do you run through HR issues that would benefit from a lawyer review? Is there a go-to firm lawyer who supports employee relations issues and other compliance pieces?
Week Five: Federal Employment Laws 2
10/09/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
10/09/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
Week Five: Federal Employment Laws 2 — Key laws that drive the employment experience (Key areas: Review of select Federal laws)
Week 5 Supplemental Reading
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
HR 2 Week 5 Quiz
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 7/10 points to pass
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 7/10 points to pass
Week Six: Where to Go from Here — plotting your future from an HR perspective (Key areas: certification opportunities; course review)
Reading - The Future of HR in the New Reality
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Read the attached article.
Discussion
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Please answer the following questions:
Please share some information about a person responsible for the HR function that you know, possibly worked with or have heard about that you respect. What are those things that resonate with you about the person?
Week 6 Supplemental Reading
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Week Six: Where to Go from Here
10/16/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
10/16/2025 at 12:00 PM (CDT) | 60 minutes
Week Six: Where to Go from Here — Plotting your future from an HR perspective (Key areas: Certification opportunities and course review)
HR 2 Week 6 Quiz
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 7/10 points to pass
10 Questions | 3 attempts | 7/10 points to pass
Final Submission Agreement
Agree to terms to continue.
Agree to terms to continue.
Credit
6.00 CLM, HRCI, SHRM credit units credits | Certificate available
6.00 CLM, HRCI, SHRM credit units credits | Certificate available
Legal Management HR Specialist Certificate Exam
50 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 40/50 points to pass | Graded as Pass/Fail
50 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 40/50 points to pass | Graded as Pass/Fail
You must have completed ALL COMPONENTS of HR1 and HR2 (12 hours of classroom instruction) to take this exam. Please check with certification@alanet.org if you are not sure.
This quiz requires 40 points to pass and there are 50 total points available.
Human Resources Specialist Certificate
No credits available | Certificate available
No credits available | Certificate available
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John Newton, SHRM-SCP, SPHR (Moderator)
John Newton and Associates
John Newton, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, is a Human Resources and Learning and Development professional. He is a coach, consultant, trainer, teacher and public speaker who specializes in helping people and organizations reach their ultimate potential. His company, John Newton and Associates (JNA), provides people-development services in higher education, government, non-profit and for-profit organizations within a diverse variety of industries. Newton’s philosophy is “Kindness is the bottom line.” Be kind to your employees and they will remain engaged and motivated — employees who know they matter will be more productive, positively impacting your company’s bottom line. Be kind to your customers and they will come back for more — customer loyalty builds business and your bottom line. He has been an instructor for DePaul University and Northern Illinois University for nearly 20 years.
