First ‘Lunch and Learn’ session a success









picture disc.


About 100 people attended the first session of UNMC’s new “Employee Development Lunch and Learn Series” on Feb. 20. The session focused on UNMC human resources initiatives. The next session will be held Tuesday, March 20 and will focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The first session of UNMC’s new “Employee Development Lunch and Learn Series” was a great success, said Carmen Sirizzotti, division director of employee relations.

About 100 people attended the series’ first session, titled “Human Resources at Your Service: Everything you wanted to know (in 60 minutes or less),” on Feb. 20 in the Eppley Science Hall Amphitheater.

A panel of senior UNMC Human Resources professionals, including John Russell, assistant vice chancellor for human resources, discussed current medical center initiatives and fielded questions during the session.

“We’re very pleased with the attendance of the first session and hope to see similar turnouts at future sessions,” Sirizzotti said.

The next “Lunch and Learn” session, titled “Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): What Does it Mean for UNMC Managers and Employees?” will be held Tuesday, March 20. Christy Horn, Ph.D., ADA/504 compliance officer, University of Nebraska, will discuss what it means to provide reasonable accommodation for a disability.

Pre-registration is required for each session, which will all be held on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Eppley Science Hall Amphitheater. A sandwich, soda and chips will go to the first 50 registered participants at each session.

Pre-registration can be completed by calling 559-5929 or by clicking here.

Here is a schedule of future sessions:

  • April 17 — Harassment in the Workplace — Doug Pedersen, president, UNMC HR Systems, will discuss the legal definition of harassment, as well as behaviors that could lead to sexual harassment. The session also will educate individuals on how to prevent harassment and how to handle complaints. Participants will review actual case studies in this interactive discussion. Campus representatives, Myrna Newland, M.D., Carmen Sirizzotti and David Carver, Ph.D., also will be available to answer questions.
  • May 15 — Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Who, What, Where, When? — Carmen Maurer, J.D., associate general counsel, VP-General Counsel, University of Nebraska, will outline job benefits and protection under FMLA, including paid versus unpaid leave, employee eligibility, amount of leave, qualifying events and the process for returning to work. Can supervisors be liable for failing to provide FMLA leave? Come learn about the legal implications when working with FMLA.
  • June 19 — Leading with Emotional Intelligence — Cathy Heck, director, CQI and Organizational Learning Division, The Nebraska Medical Center, will describe Emotional Intelligence (EI) and how it can foster the success of an academic health care center. If you are interested in exploring your personal effectiveness in the workplace, attend this thought-provoking presentation. The session is designed for those who are new to the concept of EI, as well as those interested in recharging their team building battery.
  • Sept. 18 – Time Management — Doug Pedersen will discuss effective tips for utilizing your time including managing your calendar, avoiding over commitment, delaying projects, interruptions in the workplace, balancing workloads, delegating vs. dumping, clock watching and employee cooperation to achieve goals.
  • Oct. 16 — Effective Business Writing via E-mail — Doug Pedersen will help participants their business communication skills by focusing on proper etiquette using the most common form of communication today, e-mail. This presentation will cover the appropriate use of words and grammar in writing as well as the characteristics of good business writing. The program will highlight the pros and cons of the written word in e-mail as well as legal ramifications of e-mail in the workplace
  • Nov. 20 — Stereotyping and Labeling: Sticks and Stones and Words That DO Hurt You — Linda Cunningham, human resources staff diversity specialist, UNMC, will discuss how assumptions can lead to stereotypes and unfair judgments about individuals and groups. This presentation will use media examples and interactive demonstrations to examine how stereotypes, labels and biases affect our lives and contribute to limited equity and access in business and healthcare.