HR Advisors

HR Advisors is a members-only service provided by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support the human resources needs of organizations.

HR Advisors is designed to address your questions and provide confidential, free guidance by providing access to a team of knowledgeable human resources professionals through Compass Business Solutions.

How to use the HR Advisors

Email HRAdvisors@compass-resources.com or call 412-404-6934 any time that’s convenient for you.

In order for Compass to best assist you, please provide information regarding your organization, contact information, and details about your request. A Compass representative will return your call or email as quickly as possible. If your need is immediate, note it in your email or phone message.

Who should use HR Advisors

HR Advisors was developed for senior leadership or managers with human resources responsibilities or a lack of dedicated HR staff in an Arts Council member organization.

If you’re unsure if your organization is an Arts Council member, please contact Manager of Grants and Membership Shaqui Scott at sscott@pittsburghartscouncil.org or 412-391-2060 ext. 223.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to be a member of the Arts Council to utilize HR Advisors?

Yes, HR Advisors is an exclusive benefit only offered to Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council organization members.

Who from my organization should use HR Advisors?

A senior leader or manager in your organization who has human resources responsibilities. HR Advisors is intended to provide guidance to organizational leaders with HR responsibilities. Employees with HR-related questions should always contact their direct supervisor, internal HR representative, or a senior leader for assistance.

When can I contact the HR Advisors?

Any time. Compass will ask you to provide additional information about your situation when you leave your voicemail message or contact them via email.

When will I hear back from Compass?

Your call or email will be returned as quickly as possible. If you have an immediate need, please note it on your message (e.g., a situation in which an employee is in danger or at risk; a serious compliance issue).

Who will respond to me?

A human resources professional from Compass will call or email you.

I have a problem with another employee at my organization and my supervisor won't get involved. Can HR Advisors help?

HR Advisors is limited to helping managers and other leaders of arts organizations, not employees. Employees with HR-related questions should always contact their direct supervisor, internal HR representative, or a senior leader for assistance.

How many times can I use HR Advisors?

There is currently no limit to the number of times you can contact HR Advisors. However, if the call volume across all member organizations is high, we may later need to establish a call limit per organization as we only have a limited amount of funding to support the program.

Will my information and concern remain confidential or will it be shared with the Arts Council?

Compass will only provide the Arts Council with basic tracking information to evaluate the program. The Arts Council will not be provided with identifying details related to you or your organization.

What topics can Compass help me to address?

The following categories are the most common support topics:

  • Applying or interpreting a human resources policy
  • Payroll or time and attendance question, including overtime
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) classification
  • Department of Labor (DOL) rule interpretation
  • How to handle an employee relations situation
  • Documenting an employment issue
  • Communications guidance around a workplace issue
  • Situational guidance for a specific employee or management issue
  • Granting a leave of absence (FMLA or personal)
  • Hiring/firing related questions

How much time should I expect to be on a phone call with Compass?

Most inquiries will take between 15 and 30 minutes to address.

What do I do if a situation is more complicated? Should I still call or email?

YES! Please do not ever hesitate to reach out via HR Advisors. We know sometimes a simple question can lead to the identification of serious or systemic issues that require action. We trust the Compass team to provide you with the right guidance to allow you to begin to address your situation. The best thing you can do is to reach out.

If you determine that your organization would benefit from in-depth or personalized help, you can receive free follow-up assistance through the Arts Council's Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts or Business Volunteers for the Arts programs or you can directly hire Compass to help further.