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A guide to HRIS certification
Workstream Blog

A guide to HRIS certification

By Workstream

May 11, 2022 | 5 min read

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Are you interested in HRIS Certification? Do you want to learn more about the different options available to you? This guide will provide you with all the decision-making fundamentals you need to become an expert in the HRIS certification process. We'll discuss the different types of HRIS Certifications available, what each one entails, and the benefits of becoming certified. So whether you're just starting out on your HR career path or are looking for ways to further your education and work experience, read on for everything you need to know about HRIS Certification!


What is HRIS Certification?

HRIS certification is the process of becoming certified in HRIS, or Human Resources Information Systems. The HR field is getting crowded and this certification validates an individual's knowledge and skills in HRIS and allows them to demonstrate their proficiency to employers. There are numerous HRIS certifications available from different organizations, each with its own requirements, benefits, and drawbacks. These accreditations often involve certification courses with specific HRIS systems training curriculum (often with a final exam) to ensure your understanding.

Is HRIS certification worth it? What are the benefits?

There are many reasons why HR professionals and HR departments may choose to pursue HRIS certification. For starters, HRIS certification can help you stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs. In a competitive job market, any extra edge you can give yourself is worth pursuing. Many roles often require knowledge of particular systems which is why you may want specific HRIS software training. A Certification program shows that you are committed to your profession and are willing to invest in your own development.

Furthermore, an HRIS certification can help you advance in your career and earn a higher salary. HR professionals who are certified tend to be more successful in their careers than those who are not.

Types of HRIS Certifications and Eligibility

So now that we've covered the basics, let's take a look at the different types of HRIS Certifications available.

Human Resources Information Professional (HRIP)

The HRIP is a popular HRIS certification and is offered by the International Association of Human Resources Information Management (IHRIM). This certification includes a complete curriculum of HRIS functions as well as technologies and trends. A final certification exam will evaluate understanding of the HRIS systems training and how these systems are used in organizations. The HRIP certification is ideal for HR professionals who want to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in HRIS.

Who it's for

HRIP certification is for professionals who want a professional certification and the ability to demonstrate knowledge in HR information systems.

Requirements for HRIP Certification

In order to achieve HRIP certification, candidates must pass an exam that is administered via recorded proctoring. Once passed, HRIP certification will last for three years and to maintain the credentials, candidates must provide evidence of 60 hours of recertification learning before the 3 years are up. It is this continued further work that has made HRIP such a gold standard in the HR industry.

Qualification Requirements

There are no strict eligibility requirements for HRIP certification, however, it is recommended that candidates have at least five years of experience working with HRIS systems.

Cost

For IHRIM members the price is $385 and this rises to $485 for non-IHRIM members.

Professional in Human Resources (PHR)

The PHR certification is offered by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI). This certification focuses on HR management and HR strategy and is geared towards HR professionals who want to demonstrate their knowledge in these areas. The PHR certification covers topics such as HR law, compensation and benefits, staffing, and employee relations.

Who it's for

The PHR certification is for HR professionals who wish to demonstrate knowledge in U.S. laws and regulations as well as technical and operations areas of HR program implementation. This HRIS certification is great for professional development and will definitely help boost an HR professionals career.

Requirements for PHR Certification

To achieve PHR certification, candidates must pass a two hour exam that is administered by HR Certification Institute. The PHR exam covers a range of topics that are broken down in the following manner:

  • 39% Employee and Labor Relations
  • 20% Business Management
  • 16% Talent Planning and Acquisition
  • 15% Total Rewards
  • 10% Learning and Development

The exam involves 90 scored questions as well as 25 pretest questions that can be held at a Pearson VUE testing center or done digitally from home.


Qualification Requirements

In order to take the PHR exam, candidates must be able to show at least one year of experience in a professional-level HR position and a Master’s degree or higher, Have at least two years of experience in a professional-level HR position and a Bachelor’s degree, OR Have at least four years of experience in a professional-level HR position. The PHR exam isn’t for any old high school graduate. It’s got some prerequisites that can really help a senior professional in human resources.

Cost

The exam will cost candidates $395 and there is an additional $100 application fee.

Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)

The GPHR certification is an accreditation that focuses on multinational HR policy development and growth.

Who it's for

The GPHR is for HR professionals with experience working in HR roles that have a global or international scope.

Requirements for GPHR Certification

In order to achieve GPHR certification, candidates will need to pass a three hour exam that involves 140 questions (and 25 pretest questions) across a number of global HR issues. This test can either be done at a certified test center or digitally from home.

Qualification Requirements

Candidates are required to have completed one of the following:

  • Four years of experience working in a professional HR role
  • Three years of experience working in a professional HR role and a bachelor's degree or higher.
  • Two years of experience working in a professional HR role and a master's degree of higher.

Cost

The exam will cost candidates $495 and there is an additional $100 application fee.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) - Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)

The SHRM-CP is a certification administered by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The SHRM-CP focuses on HR operational excellence and is geared towards HR generalists or those who are new to HR management.

Who it's for

The SHRM-CP certification is for HR professionals who are relative generalists within their companies and want to demonstrate HR operational excellence.

Requirements for SHRM-CP Certification

To earn your accreditation, you will need to pass an exam that's 3 hours and 40 minutes in length that covers HR competencies across a number of HR management topics over 134 questions.

Qualification Requirements

Candidates are required to have completed one of the following:

  • Four years of experience working in a professional HR role
  • Three years of experience working in a professional HR role and a bachelor's degree or higher.
  • Two years of experience working in a professional HR role and a master's degree of higher.

Cost

These certifications will cost $300 for SHRM members and $400 for non-members for their early bird exam and $375 for SHRM members and $475 for non-members for the standard exam.

HR Analytics Certificate

Cornell University provides a number of HR certificates including the HR Analytics certificate. Candidates will learn to utilize HR data via an in depth course of HRIS software training to make better business decisions and understand HR metrics to make better recommendations in hiring, compensation, and performance management.

Who it's for

The HR Analytics certificate is for HR professionals who want to learn how to utilize HR data to make better business decisions.

Requirements for HR Analytics Certificate

The HR Analytics certificate is a two week intensive course that requires 3-5 hours of guided study per week. The course is led by world class faculty instructors and there is no final exam required.

Qualification Requirements

This course requires no explicit qualifications, however, HR experience is beneficial as this is not an entry level course and will involve HR metrics and analysis.

Cost

This course is a little bit more on the expensive side at $3,600. However, there are often discount opportunities and you may be able to get your employee to cover some or all of the costs.

Choosing the Right HRIS Certification for You

Deciding which certification is right for you will largely come down to your personal and professional goals. You should first start by checking which certifications you are actually eligible for as this could rule out things like the PHR certification.

Next, you need to evaluate your ideal career path and recognise which of these qualifications are required to move down your chosen path.

Finally, it's worth considering more logistical questions. Which certifications can you guarantee you'll be able to afford and have the time to achieve.

Once you have a clear answer to these questions, you should be ready to embark on your HRIS certification journey. Good luck!

Summary

HRIS certification is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in HR information systems. There are a few different options available, so make sure to choose the one that best fits your goals.

Learn More About HRIS: 
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Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information

Before we discuss the right to limit and the right to opt-out, we must first define personal information and how it relates to sensitive personal information.

Personal information is any data that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked to you or your household. A few examples of personal information include:

  • Name or nickname
  • Email address
  • Purchase history
  • Browsing history
  • Location data
  • Employment data
  • IP address
  • Profiles businesses create about you, including pseudonymous profiles (“user1234”)
  • Sensitive personal information

Sensitive personal information or “SPI” is a subset of personal information, defined as:

  • Identifying information (e.g. social security number, driver’s license)
  • Financial data (e.g. debit or credit card numbers)
  • Precise geolocation (within a radius of 1,850 feet)
  • Demographic or protected-class information (e.g. race/ethnicity, religion, union membership)
  • Biometric and genetic data (e.g. fingerprints, palm scans, facial recognition)
  • Communications and content (e.g. mail, email, text messages)
  • Health and sexual orientation (e.g. vaccine records, health history)

Right to Opt-Out

Californians have the right to opt-out of the sale and sharing of their personal information. That means you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties (e.g. data brokers, advertisers). You also have the right to opt-out of the sharing of your personal information to prevent the targeting of ads across different businesses, websites, apps, or services.

CCPA-covered businesses must provide a link to allow you to exercise this right. It is usually found at the bottom of a webpage and will say “do not sell or share my personal information” or “your privacy choices.” Sometimes businesses offer privacy choices through a pop-up window or form

To opt-out of the sale and sharing of your personal information, click on the link or use the toggle provided by the business and follow the directions. Doing this on every website you visit can feel burdensome, but to ease the burden you can automatically select your privacy preferences for every website by using an opt-out preference signal, or OOPS for short.

An OOPS is a user-friendly and straightforward way for consumers to automatically exercise their right to opt-out of the sale and sharing of their personal information with the businesses they interact with online. An OOPS, such as the Global Privacy Control. It can either be a setting on your internet browser or a browser extension. With an OOPS, consumers do not have to submit individual requests to opt-out of sale or sharing with each business.

Right to Limit

Californians also have the right to direct businesses to limit the use and disclosure of their sensitive personal information.

Businesses covered under the CCPA must provide a link on their website that allows you to request the limiting of your SPI, if they plan on using it in certain ways. That link will also typically be at the bottom of a webpage and will say: “limit the use of my sensitive personal information” or “your privacy choices.” Once you send this request, the business must stop using your SPI for anything other than to:

  • Provide requested goods or services
  • Ensure security and integrity
  • Prevent fraud
  • Maintain system functionality
  • Comply with legal obligations

Bringing it Together

In summary, the CCPA gives you the right to opt-out of the sale and sharing of your personal information and gives you additional rights to further limit the use and disclosure of your sensitive personal information.

When you exercise these rights together, you exert greater control in protecting your personal data which is important for your identity, safety, and financial health.

If you are on a business’s website and you can’t find the links to exercise your rights, remember to check their privacy policy. The privacy policy should tell you how you can exercise your rights under the law.

If you find your rights being violated, you can submit a complaint to CalPrivacy.

Next in the LOCKED series, we will explore the right to correct and right to know. Follow us on social media to get live updates or check back in one week for the next post.

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