The Rowan County Human Resources Association will host an Employment Law and Legislative Conference from 8 a.m.-noon Oct. 16 at the Salisbury Civic Center, 315 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

Presenters include Rosemary Spitzer, employee relations consultant with Wachovia Corp, and Rosemary Kenyon, partner with Smith Anderson Law Firm in Chapel Hill.

Participants will learn about current information on proposed legislative, regulatory and judicial issues regarding E-verify, FMLA Expansion and Healthy Family Act, the legalities of goal setting/affirmative action initiatives, research findings on effectiveness of common diversity initiatives and best practices for increasing diversity hiring without legal risk.

Cost for nonmembers is $25. The conference is free for members. It has been pre-approved for three hours of recertification credit. Contact Susan Giessler at sgiessler@fmbnc.com for registration information.

Excavator program

The Pipeline Group's annual Public Education — Excavator Awareness Program will be held 6:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Holiday Inn, 530 S. Jake Alexander Blvd.

The program will be sponsored by a group of companies with a common goal of preventing accidents and damages to underground pipelines and utilities. They are Colonial Pipeline Co., Plantation Pipe Line Co. and Williams Gas Pipeline-Transco.A free dinner will be served to participants involved in excavation-related activities. It will be following by a brief program stressing the importance of accident prevention.

For more information, call 877-933-7370 or visit www. pipelinegroup.com.

Microsoft classes

The Office of Corporate and Professional Development at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is offering basic to advanced courses in Microsoft Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007, the latest versions of these popular Microsoft programs.

These evening classes are aimed at adults who need to enhance their computer software skills for career development.

All will be held from 6-10 p.m. in Room 2124 on RCCC's South Campus, 1531 Trinity Church Road, Concord, at I-85 Exit 55. Cost for each is $50 plus $25 for textbook and materials.

Courses include MS Word 2007 Basic, Oct. 14 and 21; MS Word 2007 Intermediate, Oct. 28 and Nov. 4; MS Word 2007 Advance, Nov. 13 and 20; MS Excel 2007 Basic, Nov. 11 and 18; MS Excel 2007 Intermediate, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2; MS Excel 2007 Advanced, Dec. 9 and 16; MS PowerPoint 2007 Basic, Oct. 16 and 23; MS PowerPoint 2007 Intermediate, Oct. 30 and Nov. 6; and MS Access 2007 Basic, Dec. 4 and 11. The classes are open to adult learners. Seating is limited, and advanced registration is required. Call 704-216-3598 for more details.

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