The latest casualty of coronavirus is one of the largest HR conferences of the year.
In an online release, the Society for Human Resource Management announced the SHRM 2020 Annual Conference & Exposition, slated for late June, is officially cancelled. The HR organization was forced to cancel after the event’s venue, the San Diego Convention Center, said they won’t be able to host the event over COVID-19 concerns.
“We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event. We know SHRM’s annual conference is the leading HR community event, and the entire global HR community looks forward to it each year,” said a SHRM spokesperson in an online announcement. “However, we know it is the right decision and we are confident there will be brighter days ahead as the HR community navigates our 'new' world of work.”
Everyone who purchased tickets for this year’s SHRM conference will automatically be enrolled for next year’s event in Chicago, scheduled for June 20-23, 2021. Hotel reservations made through SHRM’s conference booking site, MCI USA, will be cancelled and transferred to next year’s event as well. Anyone who’s unable to attend next year’s conference must contact SHRM directly for registration and hotel refunds by June 26.
“As we turn our attention to the future, we look forward to seeing you at our SHRM 2021 Annual Conference & Expo, June 20-23 in Chicago. It will be a time to reconnect and celebrate the extraordinary measures we will have overcome as leaders reshaping the new world of work,” the announcement said.
