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SHRM Inland Empire News & Events - July 2026
Message from SHRM Inland Empire President Elect
Summer is in full swing here in the Inland Empire, and with it comes a spirit of reflection, renewal, and forward momentum. As we step into July, we are energized by the incredible community we continue to build together.
This month, we have a lot to be excited about. Our programming calendar is rich with opportunities to connect, learn, and grow, and our member engagement continues to reach new heights. I am especially proud to introduce that we will be including a new Member Spotlight feature, a dedicated space to celebrate the remarkable people who make this chapter so special.
Join us for our upcoming event:
Join us August 20th | 8:30-10:30 AM | 1.5 SHRM and HRCI PDC’s
Location: Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center
4280 Brockton Avenue
Our upcoming Talent Wars feature will deliver a bold, unfiltered look at the recruitment and retention challenges HR professionals across our region are facing right now. Professional recruiters and HR leaders will share what’s working in today’s market, the trends reshaping the talent landscape, and the real-world strategies driving results.
NEW- We Want to Celebrate YOU
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the IESHRM Member Spotlight , a new feature right here, dedicated entirely to celebrating the extraordinary individuals who make up our chapter.
We will shine a light on one IESHRM member, their unique career journey, proudest professional accomplishments, community contributions, and what Human Resources truly means to them on a personal level. Because behind every great HR strategy is a great HR person, and those stories deserve to be told.
How it works: Members are encouraged to nominate themselves or a fellow member they admire. This is your community. These are your colleagues. Let’s celebrate together.
Board Elections & Open Vacancies — Get Involved!
We are actively seeking passionate, dedicated individuals to serve on the chapter board and fill open volunteer leadership positions.
Serving on the IESHRM Board is one of the most powerful ways to accelerate your professional growth, expand your network across the Inland Empire’s vibrant HR community, and give back to the profession you are passionate about. Board members gain hands on leadership experience, sharpen strategic thinking skills, and build relationships that last careers.
The following positions are currently open:
• Vice President of Membership
Additionally, we have upcoming elections. Full election details and submission timelines will be shared and posted on the official IESHRM website at www.ieshrm.org.
Interested candidates should contact us at [email protected], Subject: Board Position Interest
As always, thank you for your dedication to the HR profession and to this community. Together, we are stronger. Here's to a July full of growth, connection, and inspiration!
Welcome New Members
Please join us in welcoming the newest members of SHRM Inland Empire! We’re proud to have you as part of our growing community of HR professionals and leaders. Your experience and perspective strengthen our chapter and support our shared commitment to advancing the people profession in 2026.
Welcome:
- Jesus Coria
- Marla Mendoza
- Jimena Bran
- Fabian Delgadillo
- Ruthie Ponce
- Rose Proitte
We’re excited to connect, collaborate, and grow together this year.
Upcoming Events
August 20, 2026 | 8:30 am to 10:30 am
Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center
4280 Brockton Avenue | Riverside, CA 92501 | Venue website
Directions
Schedule of Events:
- 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | Check-In/Registration
- 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Program Presentation
Learning Objectives:
- Strengthen employer branding
- Improve candidate experience
- Apply retention strategies that work
- Build a sustainable talent pipeline
Who Should Attend: Recruiters, HR professionals, business leaders
Credits: Approved for (1) HRCI and (1) SHRM recertification credit
Panelists:
Adn Spencer - Talent Acquisition Leader at Amtrak
David Draper - Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at The Lewis Group of Companies
Marlo Ramirez - Senior Manager, Talent Aquisition at Hydrafacial a
Moderator Angie Nett, Director of Human Resources at Sorenson Engineering
IE SHRM Annual HR Conference
October 15, 2026 | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM | Add to Calendar
Delta Hotels Ontario Airport | 2200 East Holt Boulevard | Ontario, CA 91761
Venue website | Directions
The Inland Empire SHRM Annual Conference is Back!
The workplace is evolving faster than ever—and HR is leading the way.
Join us at the 2026 Inland Empire SHRM Annual Conference: Culture, Connection & the Future of Work, where we'll explore how today's HR professionals are shaping organizations that thrive through innovation, meaningful human connection, and cultures that inspire people to do their best work.
As artificial intelligence, changing workforce expectations, and new ways of working continue to transform our organizations, one thing remains constant: people are at the heart of every successful workplace. This year's conference will bring together HR leaders, business executives, and workplace innovators to share practical strategies, emerging trends, and fresh perspectives that will help you lead your organization into the future.
Whether you're building high-performing teams, navigating workplace transformation, embracing AI, strengthening leadership, or creating a culture where employees feel connected and engaged, this full-day experience is designed to equip and inspire you.
Why Attend?
Shape the Future of Work
Explore the trends redefining today's workplace—from artificial intelligence and workforce planning to employee experience, leadership development, workplace culture, and the evolving role of HR as a strategic business partner.
Earn Recertification Credits
Receive up to 6 SHRM and HRCI recertification credits while investing in your professional growth and maintaining your certifications.
Learn from Visionary Leaders
Hear from nationally recognized keynote speakers, HR executives, thought leaders, and practitioners who are transforming organizations through innovative leadership, people-first strategies, and forward-thinking solutions.
Discover Innovative Solutions
Connect with leading HR technology providers, consultants, and service partners showcasing products and services designed to help your organization succeed in an ever-changing workplace.
Build Meaningful Connections
Network with more than 250 HR professionals, executives, managers, and business leaders from across the Inland Empire who are passionate about advancing the profession and supporting one another.
Be Inspired to Lead
Leave energized with practical tools, actionable ideas, and new professional relationships that will help you strengthen workplace culture, foster meaningful connections, and confidently navigate the future of work.
Whether you're an emerging HR professional, an experienced practitioner, or a senior executive, the 2026 Inland Empire SHRM Annual Conference will challenge your thinking, expand your network, and equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to build workplaces where people—and organizations—can thrive.
Because the future of work isn't just about technology. It's about creating cultures where people feel connected, valued, and empowered to succeed.
Legal News
Following Governor Newsom’s approval of the budget agreement for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which took effect on July 1, 2026, and allocated funding for new paid pregnancy leave entitlement for employees of California K-12 school districts and community college districts (“CCDs”), the education omnibus budget trailer bills for K-12 school districts and CCDs remained subject to the Governor’s approval. On July 9, 2026, Governor Newsom approved the trailer bill for K-12 school districts, effectuating changes to the Education Code providing a new paid pregnancy leave entitlement for employees of K-12 school district. The CCD trailer bill reflects the same paid pregnancy leave entitlement for CCD employees, amending parallel provisions of the Education Code; however, the CCD trailer bill remains subject to approval by the State Legislature and Governor Newsom.
Under the new K-12 trailer bill, beginning January 1, 2027, public education employees will be entitled to up to fourteen weeks of paid leave when absent from duty because of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. Employees may use the paid leave when they are actually disabled by one or more of these conditions as determined by the employee and the employee’s medical provider. The bill expressly authorizes employees to begin taking leave before childbirth and continue the leave after childbirth, provided the employee is actually disabled by one or more of the qualifying conditions during the entire leave period. Employers must maintain group health coverage for the duration of the leave at the same level and under the same conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.
The K-12 budget trailer bill revises Education Code sections 44965 and 45193 to require school district employers to provide this new benefit. Under prior law, these sections authorized the governing board of a school district to provide for a paid or unpaid leave of absence to an employee absent from duty because of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, or recovery therefrom. The trailer bill not only requires a school district employer to provide paid leave, but expands the scope of conditions covered by this entitlement to include termination of pregnancy and recovery therefrom.
Under the K-12 trailer bill, all certificated and classified employees of public school districts, as well as charter school and county office of education employees, are eligible to receive up to fourteen weeks of paid leave under this section. There are no eligibility requirements such as minimum hours worked or length of service. Part-time employees are also entitled to paid leave under the trailer bill’s provisions, which specify the amount of compensation a part-time employee is entitled to depending on the amount regularly worked.
Significantly, the leave provided under the trailer bill does not run concurrently with any other leave provided by statute. Thus, other leaves to which an employee may be entitled, including, but not limited to, leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”), Pregnancy Disability Leave Act (“PDLA”), accrued sick leave, or extended illness leave, do not run during the employee’s paid pregnancy disability leave under the trailer bill. Applicable statutory leaves will not begin to run until after the employee is no longer “disabled” under the trailer bill as determined by the employee’s medical provider or the employee has exhausted the fourteen weeks of paid leave.
The state budget provides an additional cost-of-living adjustment, referred to as “super-COLA” funding, to reimburse school district employers for costs associated with providing paid leave under this new entitlement.
The trailer bill’s provisions are a direct reflection of the pregnancy leave entitlement proposed in 2024 by Assembly Bill (“AB”) 65, which was approved by the State Assembly in 2025, but did not progress to a vote in the State Senate. In June of 2026, while budget negotiations were pending, AB 65 was revived in the State Senate, where it remains pending.
In sum, the approval of the K-12 budget trailer bill significantly expands California public education employees’ rights to paid leave for pregnancy and related conditions. K-12 school districts will be required to update their leave policies and practices to account for the new entitlement, which is in effect as of January 1, 2027. Districts should also be prepared to bargain impacts and effects of the budget trailer bill.
AALRR attorneys will continue to monitor the status of the separate bill proposing to provide this same entitlement to employees of community college districts, which is pending in the State Legislature.
If you have questions about this new requirement, or its impact on existing leave policies, please contact the authors of this Alert or your usual AALRR counsel.
AALRR is hosting a three-part webinar series designed to help K-12 districts and CCDs understand and navigate their obligations when it comes to supporting pregnant employees. For more information, or to register for the series, please visit: https://www.aalrr.com/newsroom-events-4686 or contact Keesha Clark.
This AALRR publication is intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in reaching a conclusion in a particular area of law. Applicability of the legal principles discussed may differ substantially in individual situations. Receipt of this or any other AALRR publication does not create an attorney-client relationship. The Firm is not responsible for inadvertent errors that may occur in the publishing process.
© 2026 Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
The HR Huddle
August 11, 2026 | 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Virtual (Zoom)
Add to Calendar
The HR Huddle series is a valuable resource for HR professionals, offering a monthly deep-dive into the latest legal updates, trends, and best practices in employment law. This collaboration with the legal experts of AALRR equips HR professionals and business leaders with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of the workplace, ensuring they stay ahead in a field that's constantly evolving. In this series, here insights and best practices on topics related to compliance, policy-making, and employee relations, these webinars are designed to strengthen the skills necessary for the dynamic and demanding world of human resources.
The HR Huddle Occurs Every 2nd Tuesday.
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