Should you get HR Certified in California?

Your Guide to HR Certification

Interview with Mike Letizia

Which is the best HR Certification?

Should I get HR certified? How does an HR Certification benefit me and my career? Which HR Certification should I get?

These are some of the most common questions within the HR community, and for good reason. There’s a rich pool of options, resources, and information for HR professionals to sort through to earn an HR certification. Because we’ve seen the value these certifications provide to human resource professionals, we know it’s worth taking these questions seriously!

We’re here to help 

That’s why we’re launching an in-depth series exploring all the HR certification options. We’ll be discussing why HR professionals should consider getting certified, as well as what makes each certification type unique. Through this series, our goal is for more HR professionals to understand the benefits of certification, and be able to examine which option fits your career path best.

Today our series kicks off with an in-depth look at one of the top California-specific certifications. Learn what the SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential is all about. We’re discussing why it’s valuable with insight from course instructor and curriculum developer Mike Letizia!

All About the SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential

The SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential is a California-focused HR micro-credential. The credential is designed for you to demonstrate your mastery of California’s complex HR requirements and practices. In addition to the in-depth knowledge covered in the course, participants also receive a badge for your signature. Participants who are already SHRM certified earn 25 PDCs toward your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. 

In order to discuss this credential properly, we need to introduce you to Mike Letizia, founder and President of Letizia HR Solutions, Inc. Letizia is a senior human resource professional consultant with over 35 years’ experience in the full scope of HR functional areas. His background includes over 23 years of leadership at a director, vice president, and president leadership level. His expertise covers nearly every aspect of HR, in addition to being a subject matter expert in California employment law – and he lent his expertise to SHRM to develop this very credential and course curriculum! 

Mike, we’re so excited for you to join the 2020 PIHRA Team of Certification Instructors. Can you share a bit about your background as an HR instructor?

Mike Letizia: I have been in the human resources field for over 35 years and actually began my HR career in learning and development at a midsized Savings and Loan in the 1980s. As Assistant VP of Management Development, my instruction classes were focused on educating branch managers, operations managers, and business managers on employment law compliance. As my career progressed, I’ve maintained my love of instruction and became a full-fledged generalist in 1996 and held management positions of Dir. of human resources for an Internet services provider, and then in 2005 VP of human resources and security for Community Bank located in Stockton, California. I began instructing SHRM courses under contract in 2011 and have been instructing SHRM education courses ever since.

Why are you excited to teach the SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential this summer?

Mike Letizia: I actually had the opportunity to work with SHRM back in 2014 on the development of the FIRST specialty education credential for California employment law when I was serving a state director for CalSHRM. Although I firmly believe in SHRM’s global competency-based certifications, I also knew the importance of having strong California employment knowledge to be valued as a competent HR business professional in California. I was able to work with SHRM in developing the content as well as the 51 question assessment and continue to work on updating the credential each year as employment laws change.

In your professional opinion, what sets this California HR Specialty Credential apart from the rest of the certification options out there?

Mike Letizia: This specialty credential gives the learner an opportunity acquire 25 hours of critical knowledge and information on California employment law. The content and assessment are really focused on the essential California labor code and regulatory issues impacting business most frequently. As a SHRM-SCP certified professional, I felt it was extremely important that California practitioners be given an opportunity to increase their knowledge base for practicing HR in the state of California competently.

What can participants expect from this course and from this certification?

Mike Letizia: The feedback that I get from many participants in the program is that it provides them a very comprehensive checklist of potential liabilities and risks associated with their current business practices.

Who is eligible for the California Law HR Specialty Credential?

Mike Letizia: This information is ideal for human resource professionals who want to make sure that they are up-to-date on all of the most current employment law changes and would like a refresher on the complex laws. It is also a great course for individual business owners, people managers, and any business professionals who have the responsibility of their organizations human resource functions.

What exciting feedback have you received from HR professionals about this credential? How has this credential helped them professionally?

Mike Letizia: Here’s an example of just one of the testimonials I’ve received from participants in the course:

“I didn’t get a chance to say it yesterday, but your 2 day presentation on CA Employment law was amazing! To present that much material (each module could have taken several days alone) in such a short amount of time was nothing short of amazing. Your subject matter expertise and real life experience, the attendee participation, and your storytelling style was incredible. The subject matter can be a bit dry, but your style of weaving in material, real life anecdotes really kept everyone engaged while learning a ton of info. Thanks again.” – Larry Piazza, SHRM-SCP

Sign up for the SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential!

PIHRA has a 75-year track record of supporting human resources in Los Angeles County and beyond. We regularly provide HR certification preparation courses in the Los Angeles area, all 100% virtual now, for credentials offered by HRCI and SHRM.

Our courses are offered at competitively low rates, with immense hands-on value. Our virtual HR cohorts provide interaction with the instructor at more affordable rates. And of course – once certified, PIHRA members earn oodles of recertification credits through our webinars, conferences, and programs. 

Learn more about our upcoming California Law HR Specialty Credential course! Registration closes Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 8:00pm.

More HR certification courses starting soon:

(Coming Soon)