The economic downturn has caused companies to deploy cost-saving strategies such as pay freezes, pay decreases, layoffs, forced vacations and reduced benefits amongst other initiatives. As companies recover from this downturn, many HR professionals are determining how best to address compensation needs given that introducing costs back into the business will be slower than expected while ensuring employee retention and engagement.

Please join us at this networking event to: - Learn what high-tech employers in Portland have implemented regarding austerity measures, and are planning to do with merit awards and compensation next year - Discuss how employers can effectively modify the total rewards package to help the company to survive during the economic downturn - Gain awareness of legal and compliance issues employers may face in modifying compensation plans - Obtain tips and guidelines on constructing a proposal to your company about compensation and incentive plans in the coming year

Panelists: - Bill Erdle, President, William J. Erdle Compensation Consulting, LLC - Bryan Fix, Head of Human Resources, SolarWorld USA - Kirsten Solomon, Director of Compensation and Benefits, FLIR Systems

Moderator: Paul M. Ostroff, Shareholder, Lane Powell PC