The Rhode Island Society for Human Resource Management State Chapter (RI SHRM) will present its 2015 Outstanding Public Servant Award to Helen G. Gage of Warwick April 9 at its annual Legislative and Employment Law Conference at the Providence Marriott.

This award acknowledges the outstanding contributions of Gage to the human resource profession, as well as her extraordinary ability to affect positive change in the workplace. Gage, the chief labor standards examiner in the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety, Labor Standards Unit, is being honored with this award because of her long-standing commitment to upholding Rhode Island’s labor laws, educating the state’s human resources community on those laws, and providing counsel on how best to comply with them. She is also being recognized for demonstrating sincere interest and diligent efforts toward building and maintaining a productive, successful working relationship with RISHRM throughout her career.

“As an enforcer of the rules, it would be easy for Helen’s relationship with the SHRM professional community to be antagonistic. Instead, Helen works hard to keep us apprised of current labor policy and to counsel us on preventative and proactive steps to avoid compliance errors, negative audits, and labor violations,” Cindy Butler SPHR, government affairs director, said in a statement.

“Time and time again, we approach her for advice and guidance. She is always responsive and provides wise counsel, and her frank, honest approach to problems is refreshing. While it must be said that we don’t always like her advice nor agree with it, we always value her reliable information and her openness to our frequent questions,” said Butler.

“We appreciate Helen’s candor and we love her stories. They help us remember the law so we can provide accurate and helpful advice to our organizations and ensure compliance with Rhode Island’s complicated labor and employment laws,” she added.