Is It Time to Be Recertified

Once you obtain your HR certification—either the PHR or SPHR designation—remember that you must be recertified every three years, according to Alexandria, Virginia-based Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). The requirement helps to ensure that human resources professionals stay current on industry trends.

To fulfill the recertification requirement, you must either take the current version of the PHR or SPHR exam—or complete 60 contact hours in some form of HR activity. The six categories and types of accepted activities are listed below:

Continuing education:
Seminars, conferences, college coursework, video conferencing and audiotaped seminars.

Instruction:
teaching a class or making educational presentations in one’s organization.

On-the-job experience:
Implementing some type of new program in the organization—i.e. a new benefits plan or new performance appraisal plan.

Research or publishing:
Conducting research on an HR topic or writing a report on the HR field—i.e. periodical article, or an HR-related document.

Leadership:
Responsibility in a local HR organization or chairing a committee.

Professional membership:
Membership in Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and other kindred organizations, such as the American Compensation Association (ACA) or the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).

Source: Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).