SPALR Mission Statement

The Section on Personnel Administration and Labor Relations (SPALR) is a community of human resource professionals from around the world dedicated to:

• Applying merit-based principles and encouraging diversity in public and nonprofit sectors;
• Promoting positive labor-management relationships;
• Advancing and expanding the knowledge of the field through research and scholarship;
• Connecting theory, research, and practice in human resource management and policy to improve the effectiveness of public services;
• Recognizing the contributions of public human resource professionals to quality public service; and
• Promoting the importance of human resource management as a fundamental part of public and nonprofit organizations, as well as public administration education.

About the Section

Founded in 1979, the Section on Personnel Administration and Labor Relations (SPALR) is a part of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). We are a diverse group of scholars and practitioners interested in public human resource management and labor relations from both an operational and a theoretical perspective. SPALR sponsors panels and workshops and organizes activities at the annual ASPA national conference to provide opportunities for members to network and exchange ideas. The Section co-sponsors sponsors training workshops and symposia focusing on human resource management topics as part of ASPA's annual national conference. Additionally, SPALR has developed several task forces to study important personnel and labor relations policy issues. These task forces have helped to forge ASPA positions and inform policy makers.

The Section produces two publications, the Review of Public Personnel Administration (ROPPA) and Periscope.