Course Description
Change happens in the world of Federal employee relations, and it often comes quickly. Those who succeed continuously sharpen their MSPB skills and refresh their knowledge. Those who don’t fall behind.
Fortunately, FELTG’s MSPB Law Week provides you with an all-encompassing week of training that offers the most effective guidance and up-to-date information available. During this engaging week of training, attendees will learn the legal requirements and best practices for disciplinary charges and penalties, understanding the law and strategy in handling performance cases, defending against whistleblower reprisal complaints, and much more.
Whether you’ve attended MSPB Law Week previously or not, you’ll leave with the foundational knowledge and cutting-edge strategies to deal with the challenges you’ll be facing in 2024. Plus, we’ll incorporate the very latest Board case law to give you an inside look at how this Board views performance and conduct issues. Join top MSPB practitioners and topic authors, and learn the law, strategies, and techniques from their many years of combined experience.
Daily Agenda
Monday, April 15
The Foundations of Accountability; Adverse Actions: Statutory basis including the Civil Service Reform Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, the five elements of every disciplinary case and the burdens of proof, the fundamentals of penalty selection and defense, discipline procedures and appeals.
Tuesday, April 16
Disciplinary Charges: Types of charges, parts of a charge, how charges are interpreted, the role of the proposing and deciding officials, capitalizing on the general charge, allowing the inclusion of lesser-included offenses, charging in the alternative, attractive options to difficult charges and common charging mistakes, proving the difficult “intent” charge element, a step by step approach to charge drafting.
Wednesday, April 17
Defensible Penalties: MSPB and Federal Circuit lead cases in penalty determination, getting “intent” penalties off of “non-intent” charges, proving harsh penalties off of vanilla charges, charging down and proving up, how the maximum penalty is established, penalty mitigation; law enforcement officer discipline.
Thursday, April 18
Handling Unacceptable Performance: Performance actions in perspective, drafting a defensible performance standard, documenting and justifying your decision to put an employee on a Performance Demonstrating Period (DPs, formerly known as PIPs), implementing DPs, defeating the DP rollercoaster; the proof needed to take a performance-based action; removing a poor performer in 31 days.
Friday, April 19
Defending Against Whistleblower Reprisal Claims and other Affirmative Defenses: Whistleblower claims: protected disclosures and whistleblower reprisal, claims of harmful error, reprisal for union activity, excessive penalty findings.
Date and Time
April 15-19, 2024
12:30 – 4:30 pm ET each day (with a 30-minute break)
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Ann Boehm, Bob Woods
Registration
Download Individual Registration Form
Pricing
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
Early Bird Tuition (register by March 16):
- 5 days = $1740
- 4 days = $1505
- 3 days = $1130
- 2 days = $855
- 1 day = $525
Standard Tuition (register March 17 and later):
- 5 days = $1840
- 4 days = $1605
- 3 days = $1230
- 2 days = $955
- 1 day = $625
Seminar registration includes a copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, 5th ed., by Wiley and Hopkins. In order to receive your copy of the textbook by the training date, please register by March 29 and provide a shipping address in the designated space on the registration form.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Zoom for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Zoom access. If for some reason your firewall will not allow access, you’re welcome to use your personal email address to register, and to attend the sessions from your personal device.
- Can I earn CLE credits for this class?
- CLE applications are the responsibility of each attendee; FELTG does not apply for the credits on behalf of attendees. If you are seeking CLE credit, attendees may use the materials provided by FELTG in submission to your state bar. Attendees may also request a certificate of completion which will contain the number of training hours attended.
- Can I share my access link with co-workers?
- No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
- Can I register a teleworker?
- This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals for the full event. Group discounts are available through March 16.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.