FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
Those of you who supervise federal employees know it can be a frustrating calling, especially when you face so many new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
Help is on the way. Register now for one, several, or all of the courses in FELTG’s comprehensive webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions. No other training provides the depth and breadth of guidance federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
Over the course of 14 webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse, and much much more.
This unique series has been updated to address the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing right now. The 60-minute webinars, held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2020 dates:
March 3: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 17: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
March 31: Preparing an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; preparing and executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
April 14: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
April 28: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues; what OPM says about mentorship; leader as mentor.
May 12: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
May 26: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
June 9: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 23: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 7: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
July 21: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 4: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
August 18: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
September 1: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by Feb 24).
- Special series discounts available through February 24: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made Feb. 25 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $40 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
Meet your mandatory EEO Counselor and Investigator refresher training with FELTG this summer. Each 95-minute session counts toward the annual refresher requirement mandated by EEOC. Register for the entire series and receive a certificate of completion, to show you have met EEOC’s mandatory 8-hour annual refresher requirement.
Sessions
May 28 – EEO Complaints in 2020: What Counselors and Investigators Need to Know: EEOC jurisdiction; pre-complaint counseling; tolling; estoppel; formal complaint — acceptance/dismissal.
June 11 – Understanding Current Issues: Reasonable Accommodation Trends in 2020: The Americans With Disabilities Act Amendments Acts; defining individuals with disabilities; the interactive process; who chooses accommodation; fact-specificity of reasonable accommodation; interactive process requirements; telework as accommodation; the agency’s obligation to accommodate the commute; requests for a new supervisor as accommodation.
June 25 – Practical Skills for Counselors and Investigators: Interviewing Complainants and Witnesses: Preparing for interviews; methods of communication; interview v. interrogation; types of questions; top 10 interviewing tips; the funnel technique.
July 9 – The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Gender Discrimination in the Federal Workplace: Review and discuss latest Supreme Court decisions on gay/transgender rights; the law; gender stereotyping as sex discrimination; sexual orientation discrimination; transgender status; same-sex discrimination.
July 23 – Updates on Discrimination: Recent Cases About Race, Color, Religion, and National Origin: The law and key terms; forms of discrimination; race and color discrimination; national original discrimination; English-only rules; religious discrimination; failure to accommodation for religious reasons.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site, per session (payment made by May 18).
- Standard Tuition: $305 per site, per session (payment made May 19 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by May 18 and pay only $1295!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
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.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
Those of you who supervise federal employees know it can be a frustrating calling, especially when you face so many new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
Help is on the way. Register now for one, several, or all of the courses in FELTG’s comprehensive webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions. No other training provides the depth and breadth of guidance federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
Over the course of 14 webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse, and much much more.
This unique series has been updated to address the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing right now. The 60-minute webinars, held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2020 dates:
March 3: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 17: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
March 31: Preparing an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; preparing and executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
April 14: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
April 28: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues; what OPM says about mentorship; leader as mentor.
May 12: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
May 26: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
June 9: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 23: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 7: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
July 21: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 4: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
August 18: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
September 1: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by Feb 24).
- Special series discounts available through February 24: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made Feb. 25 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $40 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
Meet your mandatory EEO Counselor and Investigator refresher training with FELTG this summer. Each 95-minute session counts toward the annual refresher requirement mandated by EEOC. Register for the entire series and receive a certificate of completion, to show you have met EEOC’s mandatory 8-hour annual refresher requirement.
Sessions
May 28 – EEO Complaints in 2020: What Counselors and Investigators Need to Know: EEOC jurisdiction; pre-complaint counseling; tolling; estoppel; formal complaint — acceptance/dismissal.
June 11 – Understanding Current Issues: Reasonable Accommodation Trends in 2020: The Americans With Disabilities Act Amendments Acts; defining individuals with disabilities; the interactive process; who chooses accommodation; fact-specificity of reasonable accommodation; interactive process requirements; telework as accommodation; the agency’s obligation to accommodate the commute; requests for a new supervisor as accommodation.
June 25 – Practical Skills for Counselors and Investigators: Interviewing Complainants and Witnesses: Preparing for interviews; methods of communication; interview v. interrogation; types of questions; top 10 interviewing tips; the funnel technique.
July 9 – The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Gender Discrimination in the Federal Workplace: Review and discuss latest Supreme Court decisions on gay/transgender rights; the law; gender stereotyping as sex discrimination; sexual orientation discrimination; transgender status; same-sex discrimination.
July 23 – Updates on Discrimination: Recent Cases About Race, Color, Religion, and National Origin: The law and key terms; forms of discrimination; race and color discrimination; national original discrimination; English-only rules; religious discrimination; failure to accommodation for religious reasons.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site, per session (payment made by May 18).
- Standard Tuition: $305 per site, per session (payment made May 19 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by May 18 and pay only $1295!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
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.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
Counselors and investigators, here’s a little secret: The eight hours of refresher training that you are required to receive every year does not have to be the same old boring training. FELTG believes that your eight-hour refresher training can and should be interesting, engaging and compelling.
By attending five courses during FELTG’s summer conference-like virtual training Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends you’ll be able to earn all eight of your hours and receive critical guidance on important EEO topics, such as: EEO timelines, best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses, trends in reasonable accommodation, the very latest on sexual orientation and gender discrimination, what happens when disabilities and FMLA overlap, and more. Plus, you’ll get the chance to ask questions of the resident authorities who collectively have seen almost everything in the world of EEO. Attendees will also receive a certificate of attendance verifying they’ve met the annual training requirement. We hope to see you there.
At-a-Glance Schedule
- Monday, July 27: 12:30 – 4:00 pm eastern (3 refresher hours)
- Wednesday, July 29: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm eastern (5 refresher hours)
Who Should Attend
EEO Counselors and EEO Investigators; others with an interest in EEO law are welcome to attend
Download Individual Registration Form
Monday, July 27, 2020
Counselor & Investigator Refresher Jump Start
Pre-session
12:30 – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2-2:30)
What Every Counselor and Investigator Needs to Know in 2020
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 3 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours)
Hey counselors and investigators! FELTG’s special event Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends provides an opportunity for you to pick up your mandatory annual refresher training with useful, timely, and engaging guidance. Ms. Atkinson kicks things off with an in-depth presentation on the foundational issues that EEO professionals need to know – everything from jurisdiction and pre-complaint counseling considerations, to best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand timeliness issues like tolling and estoppel.
- Identify the appropriate bases for dismissing a complaint.
- Prepare and conduct effective witness interviews.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Handling EEO Challenges
Session 5
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Reasonable Accommodation in 75 Minutes
Presented by Dwight Lewis, former EEOC Chief AJ/Dallas Region, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
As the Chief Administrative Judge of the EEOC’s Dallas Region for many years, Dwight Lewis saw his fair share of cases where agencies made reasonable accommodation mistakes. In this fast-paced session, Mr. Lewis will prepare you to be better equipped to navigate the reasonable accommodation process and avoid those mistakes he’s seen so often. The session will cover everything from defining a disability to determining undue hardship, and will highlight the importance of the interactive process in determining what accommodation is reasonable.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Effectively navigate the interactive process.
- Determine when telework would be an appropriate accommodation.
- Explain who gets to choose the accommodation, and why
Session 6
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Transgender Discrimination
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
The Supreme Court will be handing down a decision on the Zarda, Bostock, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes cases before thistraining event. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will share her analysis of the High Court ruling and explain the impact it will have on the federal workplace. Over 75 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will also bring you up to speed on the law, gender stereotyping as sex discrimination, same-sex discrimination, harassment not motivated by sexual desire, and much more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the statutory authorities that prohibit sex-based discrimination.
- Define terms and concepts that apply to LGBTQ+ employees.
- Identify actions that get agencies into EEO trouble.
Session 7
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
When the ADA and FMLA Collide
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Explain the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability.
- Handle excessive absences under FMLA.
- Request the appropriate medical documentation, without violating employee rights to confidentiality.
Session 8
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Navigating the Morass of Mixed Cases
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Few things create as much confusion among even experienced federal attorneys, EEO specialists, or HR professionals as mixed cases. We are here to help. Join Bob Woods as he untangles this often-complicated area when MSPB and EEOC both have potential jurisdiction over a case. What do you do when a mixed case lands on your desk? You’ll learn if you attend this session.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss procedural options for processing mixed cases.
- Identify potential jurisdictional issues in mixed case processing.
- Explain the role of the Special Panel.
Pricing
- Early bird price is $725.
- See registration for full pricing details.
- Early Bird discounts available until July 15!
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 EEO refresher registration option. Group discounts are available through July 15.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
Counselors and investigators, here’s a little secret: The eight hours of refresher training that you are required to receive every year does not have to be the same old boring training. FELTG believes that your eight-hour refresher training can and should be interesting, engaging and compelling.
By attending five courses during FELTG’s summer conference-like virtual training Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends you’ll be able to earn all eight of your hours and receive critical guidance on important EEO topics, such as: EEO timelines, best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses, trends in reasonable accommodation, the very latest on sexual orientation and gender discrimination, what happens when disabilities and FMLA overlap, and more. Plus, you’ll get the chance to ask questions of the resident authorities who collectively have seen almost everything in the world of EEO. Attendees will also receive a certificate of attendance verifying they’ve met the annual training requirement. We hope to see you there.
At-a-Glance Schedule
- Monday, July 27: 12:30 – 4:00 pm eastern (3 refresher hours)
- Wednesday, July 29: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm eastern (5 refresher hours)
Who Should Attend
EEO Counselors and EEO Investigators; others with an interest in EEO law are welcome to attend
Download Individual Registration Form
Monday, July 27, 2020
Counselor & Investigator Refresher Jump Start
Pre-session
12:30 – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2-2:30)
What Every Counselor and Investigator Needs to Know in 2020
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 3 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours)
Hey counselors and investigators! FELTG’s special event Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends provides an opportunity for you to pick up your mandatory annual refresher training with useful, timely, and engaging guidance. Ms. Atkinson kicks things off with an in-depth presentation on the foundational issues that EEO professionals need to know – everything from jurisdiction and pre-complaint counseling considerations, to best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand timeliness issues like tolling and estoppel.
- Identify the appropriate bases for dismissing a complaint.
- Prepare and conduct effective witness interviews.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Handling EEO Challenges
Session 5
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Reasonable Accommodation in 75 Minutes
Presented by Dwight Lewis, former EEOC Chief AJ/Dallas Region, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
As the Chief Administrative Judge of the EEOC’s Dallas Region for many years, Dwight Lewis saw his fair share of cases where agencies made reasonable accommodation mistakes. In this fast-paced session, Mr. Lewis will prepare you to be better equipped to navigate the reasonable accommodation process and avoid those mistakes he’s seen so often. The session will cover everything from defining a disability to determining undue hardship, and will highlight the importance of the interactive process in determining what accommodation is reasonable.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Effectively navigate the interactive process.
- Determine when telework would be an appropriate accommodation.
- Explain who gets to choose the accommodation, and why
Session 6
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Transgender Discrimination
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
The Supreme Court will be handing down a decision on the Zarda, Bostock, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes cases before thistraining event. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will share her analysis of the High Court ruling and explain the impact it will have on the federal workplace. Over 75 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will also bring you up to speed on the law, gender stereotyping as sex discrimination, same-sex discrimination, harassment not motivated by sexual desire, and much more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the statutory authorities that prohibit sex-based discrimination.
- Define terms and concepts that apply to LGBTQ+ employees.
- Identify actions that get agencies into EEO trouble.
Session 7
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
When the ADA and FMLA Collide
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Explain the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability.
- Handle excessive absences under FMLA.
- Request the appropriate medical documentation, without violating employee rights to confidentiality.
Session 8
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Navigating the Morass of Mixed Cases
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Few things create as much confusion among even experienced federal attorneys, EEO specialists, or HR professionals as mixed cases. We are here to help. Join Bob Woods as he untangles this often-complicated area when MSPB and EEOC both have potential jurisdiction over a case. What do you do when a mixed case lands on your desk? You’ll learn if you attend this session.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss procedural options for processing mixed cases.
- Identify potential jurisdictional issues in mixed case processing.
- Explain the role of the Special Panel.
Pricing
- Early bird price is $725.
- See registration for full pricing details.
- Early Bird discounts available until July 15!
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 EEO refresher registration option. Group discounts are available through July 15.
Instructor
Course Description
1
FELTG kicks off its five-part webinar series Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace with an overview of the the current state of disability law and how the ADA, ADAAA, and Rehabilitation Act apply to federal employees with disabilities. Attendees will learn about:
- Making disability determinations
- What “qualified individual” actually means
- Reasonable accommodation requests
- The interactive process
- Denials of reasonable accommodation
- Reassignment and Medical Inability to Perform removals
Whether you’re an attorney, disability program manager, EEO or HR Specialist or a supervisor, you’ll want to be sure to attend this session.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Dwight Lewis
Course Description
One of the most important – and challenging – areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act changed the law more than ten years ago. Yet, too many agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Updated for 2020, FELTG proudly presents a five-part series on reasonable accommodation in the federal workplace, covering everything from the basics of the law to challenges such as providing accommodations to teleworkers. Attend one session, or attend them all.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation: The Law, the Challenges & Solutions (July 30)
Session 2: Reasonable Accommodation: A Focus on Qualified Individuals, Essential Functions, Undue Hardship (August 6)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation: When to Say “Yes” and When to Say “No” (August 13)
Session 4: Hear it from a Judge: The Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes Agencies Make (August 20)
Session 5: Understanding Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodation (August 27)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 20 and pay only $1125!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
Those of you who supervise federal employees know it can be a frustrating calling, especially when you face so many new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
Help is on the way. Register now for one, several, or all of the courses in FELTG’s comprehensive webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions. No other training provides the depth and breadth of guidance federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
Over the course of 14 webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse, and much much more.
This unique series has been updated to address the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing right now. The 60-minute webinars, held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2020 dates:
March 3: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 17: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
March 31: Preparing an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; preparing and executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
April 14: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
April 28: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues; what OPM says about mentorship; leader as mentor.
May 12: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
May 26: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
June 9: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 23: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 7: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
July 21: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 4: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
August 18: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
September 1: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by Feb 24).
- Special series discounts available through February 24: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made Feb. 25 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $40 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Instructor
Course Description
1
When the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act became effective nearly a decade ago, the law expanded ADA coverage to include more individuals in disability determinations. In Part 2 of the Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series, FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson, attorney at law, will take a focused look at three challenging areas in the disability process that have changed in recent years: qualified individuals, essential functions, and undue hardship.
After an overview of the disability accommodation law and analysis, Ms Atkinson will dive into the details, including:
- How to determine whether an individual is qualified for a particular job
- How to decide what job functions are essential, and what job functions are marginal or ancillary
- What factors control an undue hardship determination
You’ll have time to ask your questions, and get answers in real time, so make plans now to attend this important event.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Dwight Lewis
Course Description
One of the most important – and challenging – areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act changed the law more than ten years ago. Yet, too many agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Updated for 2020, FELTG proudly presents a five-part series on reasonable accommodation in the federal workplace, covering everything from the basics of the law to challenges such as providing accommodations to teleworkers. Attend one session, or attend them all.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation: The Law, the Challenges & Solutions (July 30)
Session 2: Reasonable Accommodation: A Focus on Qualified Individuals, Essential Functions, Undue Hardship (August 6)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation: When to Say “Yes” and When to Say “No” (August 13)
Session 4: Hear it from a Judge: The Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes Agencies Make (August 20)
Session 5: Understanding Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodation (August 27)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 20 and pay only $1125!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
If you’re looking for training that covers the gamut of EEO issues, and provides usable guidance for all practitioners, regardless of experience level, this is it: FELTG’s EEOC Law Week. FELTG’s expert speakers, drawing on years of experience from all sides of the litigation table, deliver a fast-paced week of strategies, principles, and authorities relative to the major aspects of the field of discrimination law in the federal government. This course is updated for 2020, including the latest on EEOC’s COVID-19 guidance and workplace harassment. In addition, this in-depth training provides the required material for EEO counselors and investigators to receive certification hours.
The program runs 9:00 am – 4:00 pm eastern each day, with a break from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm., and is pre-approved for 29 CLE credits in Virginia and California. It is also approved for 29 HRCI general recertification credits.
6 per day Monday – Thursday; 5 on Friday.
Who Should Attend
Attorneys; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; EEO counselors and investigators; Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; federal supervisors and managers who have complicated EEO issues in the workplace; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; union representatives.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Meghan Droste, Bob Woods
Daily Agenda
Monday, August 10
Basic EEOC: Nuts & Bolts: Course topics: Statutory authority and jurisdiction of EEOC; an overview of the theories of discrimination; overview of the EEO process; amended and consolidated complaints; timeliness issues in the wake of the Supreme Court decisions in Morgan and Ledbetter.
Tuesday, August 11
Contractor Complaints; Intentional Discrimination and Reprisal Cases: Course topics: The agency’s role and obligations when a contractor files an EEO complaint; intentional discrimination analysis and cases; selection and promotion cases; a focus on national origin and religious discrimination cases; reprisal analysis and case updates.
Wednesday, August 12
Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities: Course topics: The Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, defining individual with a disability, understanding major life activities and substantial limitations; identifying essential job functions; the legal requirements for the interactive process; types of reasonable accommodation; the latest on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and relevant regulations.
Thursday, August 13
Current Trends in EEO Law: A Focus on Harassment: Course topics: The very latest on what’s happening in EEO; hostile environment harassment; gender stereotyping; same-sex harassment; recent court decisions on sexual orientation and transgender discrimination; non-EEO harassment; settling EEO cases.
Friday, August 14
Mixed Cases; Damages & Remedies: Course topics: Understanding the world of mixed cases with special presenter Don Names; overview of equitable remedies: back pay, front pay, reinstatement; non-pecuniary and pecuniary damages; past and future damages; damages offsets; the duty to mitigate damages; collateral sources and pre-existing conditions; multiple causations of harm; the eggshell complainant; plus a bonus segment on recent relevant EEOC decisions.
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 July 27):
- 5 days = $2190
- 4 days = $1795
- 3 days = $1385
- 2 days = $980
- 1 day = $540
Standard Tuition (register July 28 – August 14):
- 5 days = $2290
- 4 days = $1895
- 3 days = $1485
- 2 days = $1080
- 1 day = $640
Seminar registration includes a printed copy of the materials. In order to receive materials by the training date, please register by July 27 and provide a shipping address. Registrations received after July 27 will also receive printed materials, but materials are not guaranteed to arrive by the training date. No split registrations.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 July 27.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
1
The law requires federal agencies to engage in the interactive process when assessing reasonable accommodations for employees who have disabilities. Telework is one of the the most commonly requested – and most effective – accommodations for individuals who have physical and mental disabilities. But telework is often requested in cases where the “convenience” of working from home is called into question. What should you do in those situations?
Join FELTG President and Attorney at Law Deborah Hopkins for a discussion on this timely topic during Part 3 of the Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series. Ms Hopkins will start with a quick review of the law, and will detail the required three-step process for agencies to be compliant when dealing with reasonable accommodation requests.
From there, she’ll discuss:
- What to do if telework would be an effective accommodation – but something else would work too
- Who gets to choose the accommodation
- What the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute
- When an agency can legally deny telework as an accommodation
Often times the best way to learn is by looking at real-life case studies, so the session will include a discussion on recent federal cases – won and lost – involving telework requests as reasonable accommodation. Because of the cost incurred when handling a reasonable accommodation complaint, your agency EEO staff, reasonable accommodation coordinators, disability coordinators, HR staff and supervisors truly cannot afford to miss this event.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Dwight Lewis
Course Description
One of the most important – and challenging – areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act changed the law more than ten years ago. Yet, too many agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Updated for 2020, FELTG proudly presents a five-part series on reasonable accommodation in the federal workplace, covering everything from the basics of the law to challenges such as providing accommodations to teleworkers. Attend one session, or attend them all.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation: The Law, the Challenges & Solutions (July 30)
Session 2: Reasonable Accommodation: A Focus on Qualified Individuals, Essential Functions, Undue Hardship (August 6)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation: When to Say “Yes” and When to Say “No” (August 13)
Session 4: Hear it from a Judge: The Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes Agencies Make (August 20)
Session 5: Understanding Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodation (August 27)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 20 and pay only $1125!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
Those of you who supervise federal employees know it can be a frustrating calling, especially when you face so many new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
Help is on the way. Register now for one, several, or all of the courses in FELTG’s comprehensive webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions. No other training provides the depth and breadth of guidance federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
Over the course of 14 webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse, and much much more.
This unique series has been updated to address the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing right now. The 60-minute webinars, held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2020 dates:
March 3: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 17: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
March 31: Preparing an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; preparing and executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
April 14: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
April 28: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues; what OPM says about mentorship; leader as mentor.
May 12: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
May 26: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
June 9: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 23: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 7: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
July 21: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 4: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
August 18: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
September 1: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by Feb 24).
- Special series discounts available through February 24: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made Feb. 25 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $40 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
The one-size-fits-all approach to managing others is ineffective, and that becomes particularly apparent when the majority of your staff is teleworking. Drawing upon the latest research and best practices in behavioral science, communication, team effectiveness, and generational studies, while making special consideration of the increased use of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, FELTG Instructor Dr. Anthony Marchese will share his insight and practical strategies to ensure you are managing for success.
Sessions will be held from 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm eastern, with a break from 2:00-2:30 pm.
Instructor
Who Should Attend
Federal supervisors and managers; attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO specialists; union representatives.
Agenda
Wednesday, August 19 – Managing Effectively
12:30-4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00-2:30)
Course description: Dr. Marchese will explain the difference between managing and leading, and help you to identify your strength and hone your supervisory skills. Using realistic agency scenarios, participants will learn how to understand and leverage individual differences to develop a meaningful management methodology that is targeted to the needs of their employees and those of the agency.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify strategies for managing difficult employees.
- Successfully manage a mobile workforce.
- Employ a specific set of skills to resolve workplace conflicts – including virtual conflicts.
Thursday, August 20 – Communicating Effectively
12:30-4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00-2:30)
Course description: What is stopping you and your team from developing innovative solutions to your most challenging problems? Oftentimes, the problem lies in a unit’s lack of communication. In Day 2 of this interactive virtual training, Dr. Marchese will share several strategies for improving communication with your staff – and it starts with you providing ongoing feedback on employee performance.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- (And how often to) communicate performance expectations.
- Recognize the differences between positive and negative framing.
- Hold difficult conversations with employees.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $275 per session, $525 for both sessions (register by August 10).
- Standard Tuition: $330 per session, $595 for both sessions (register August 11-20).
- Rates per registrant. No split registrations.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast its Virtual Training Institute events. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 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 August 10.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
1
Are you likely to outright deny a reasonable accommodation request for leave or a flexible work schedule? Do you think undue hardship is a viable reason to deny most reasonable accommodations? Do you think it’s your responsibility as a supervisor or HR professional to determine if the individual is really disabled? Have you reached out to an employee’s doctor to find out more about his disability?
Oftentimes the best way to learn is by making mistakes. But not when it comes to reasonable accommodation law. Instead, learn from the blunders that other agencies have already made. Join Dwight Lewis, former Chief Administrative Judge of the EEOC – Dallas Region, for Part 4 of FELTG’s Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series.
Attendees will learn:
- What steps to take when an employee informs you of his or her disability
- What judges really think when an agency chooses an accommodation that is different than what the employee requested
- How to determine if telework would be an effective accommodation
- When leave would be considered an accommodation
- Why undue hardship is rarely a successful defense for denying an accommodation request
Believe us: You don’t want to make these costly and embarrassing gaffes. Find out from a respected EEOC Chief AJ, how to handle reasonable accommodation requests the right way.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Dwight Lewis
Course Description
One of the most important – and challenging – areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act changed the law more than ten years ago. Yet, too many agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Updated for 2020, FELTG proudly presents a five-part series on reasonable accommodation in the federal workplace, covering everything from the basics of the law to challenges such as providing accommodations to teleworkers. Attend one session, or attend them all.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation: The Law, the Challenges & Solutions (July 30)
Session 2: Reasonable Accommodation: A Focus on Qualified Individuals, Essential Functions, Undue Hardship (August 6)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation: When to Say “Yes” and When to Say “No” (August 13)
Session 4: Hear it from a Judge: The Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes Agencies Make (August 20)
Session 5: Understanding Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodation (August 27)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 20 and pay only $1125!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructor
Course Description
1
Almost everyone knows that individuals with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodation – but did you know that federal employees are also entitled to reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs and practices? There are important distinctions between religious accommodations and those made for individuals with disabilities, and it’s important that you understand those differences. It’ll help you with accommodation requests involving religious clothing and headwear, grooming, proselytizing, religious displays, and work schedules.
Join FELTG for the final session in our five-part Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series. We will help you to meet these challenging requests in Understanding Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodations.
After a review of the relevant law and regulations law that pertain to religious accommodation, the instructor will discuss:
- What religions qualify for accommodation
- The definition of “undue hardship” and case examples
- The most common accommodations for religion
- Issues related to dress code and grooming
- What to do when employees request to be excused from performing certain job tasks because of religious reasons
Whether you’re an attorney, EEO program specialist, HR specialist or manager, you’ll want to be sure to join us for this important session.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Dwight Lewis
Course Description
One of the most important – and challenging – areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act changed the law more than ten years ago. Yet, too many agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Updated for 2020, FELTG proudly presents a five-part series on reasonable accommodation in the federal workplace, covering everything from the basics of the law to challenges such as providing accommodations to teleworkers. Attend one session, or attend them all.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation: The Law, the Challenges & Solutions (July 30)
Session 2: Reasonable Accommodation: A Focus on Qualified Individuals, Essential Functions, Undue Hardship (August 6)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation: When to Say “Yes” and When to Say “No” (August 13)
Session 4: Hear it from a Judge: The Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes Agencies Make (August 20)
Session 5: Understanding Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodation (August 27)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 20 and pay only $1125!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
Those of you who supervise federal employees know it can be a frustrating calling, especially when you face so many new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
Help is on the way. Register now for one, several, or all of the courses in FELTG’s comprehensive webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions. No other training provides the depth and breadth of guidance federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
Over the course of 14 webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse, and much much more.
This unique series has been updated to address the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing right now. The 60-minute webinars, held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2020 dates:
March 3: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 17: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
March 31: Preparing an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; preparing and executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
April 14: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
April 28: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues; what OPM says about mentorship; leader as mentor.
May 12: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
May 26: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
June 9: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 23: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 7: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
July 21: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 4: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
August 18: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
September 1: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by Feb 24).
- Special series discounts available through February 24: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made Feb. 25 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $40 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Instructor
Course Description
During this 90-minute webinar, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the details practitioners need to understand regarding implementation and use of paid time off for childbirth, adoption, and foster care under the provisions of the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act which become effective October 1, 2020. Ms. Haga will address important additional changes that OPM incorporated in basic Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in the interim regulations.
The session will include information on eligibility, computing the number of hours an employee is eligible for, the length of time the employee has to use the leave, multiple uses of FMLA in the same twelve-month period, requirements for care of the son or daughter during the leave period, and much more. The session will include discussion of intermittent use of the paid leave as well as documentation of the need for leave, return to work agreements, and the enforcement and waiver requirements for those agreements.
Attendees will also be able to:
- Explain the details of when an employee is eligible to utilize the paid leave.
- Identify what type of documentation may be requested.
- Make decisions about options agencies have regarding return to work agreements and waivers.
You’ll want to attend this session so that you’ll be equipped with all the relevant information when the law becomes effective October 1. We hope you’ll join us.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by August 27, 2020):
- 1 line: $170
- 2-5 lines: $255
- 6-9 lines: $330
- 10-15 lines: $415
- 16-20 lines: $495
- Standard Tuition (payments made August 28, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $195
- 2-5 lines: $290
- 6-9 lines: $370
- 10-15 lines: $460
- 16-20 lines: $545
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Series Description
Join FELTG Instructor Joe Schimansky for this two-part webinar series on the timely and challenging federal labor relation topics your agency is facing. A new era of federal LR was ushered in with President Trump’s three executive orders, which cleared court review in 2019. Mr. Schimansky will explain how the EOs and FLRA case law have changed negotiations over the past few months, and he’ll share new bargaining strategies that have emerged in the current climate.
But first, the webinar series will kick off with an explanation of the union’s right to be involved in discussions. You’ll learn when meetings become formal discussions or Weingarten meetings, and what to do when an employee requests union representation.
Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.
- September 3, 2020 – Meeting Your Responsibility When Discussions Become Formal: Union rights and responsibilities; management obligations; what a union rep can and cannot do during a formal discussion; what constitutes a reasonable belief the discipline may occur; EEO-related meetings.
- September 17, 2020 – The Changing World of Federal Sector Negotiations: Bargaining obligations; status quo; permissive bargaining; conditions of employment vs. working conditions; the Trump Executive Orders; three categories of bargaining
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by August 24)
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made August 24-September 17)
- Register for both webinars by August 24 and pay only $470!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
From chronic pain and chronic fatigue to depression and diabetes, employees may be suffering from physical or mental impairments that aren’t obvious. Meanwhile, far too many federal employees and supervisors have a perception that if a disability isn’t visible, then it must not be “real.” And then there’s the fact that most employees are working remotely during pandemic, making the accommodation process even more challenging for HR professionals, supervisors, and the people who advise them.
Successful reasonable accommodation requires a two-pronged approach:
- An understanding of how to properly navigate the legal requirements, and
- Practical strategies to determine the most effective accommodation based upon knowledge of the actual impairments.
FELTG President and attorney at law Deborah Hopkins will kick off this virtual training with a thorough review of the ADA and Rehab Act requirements, plus EEOC guidance on accommodating individuals with mental impairments, behavioral health issues, and other hidden disabilities. Then Licensed Clinical Social Worker Shana Palmieri will discuss the best approaches to take – and those to stay away from – as you work with employees to accommodate their unseen disabilities.
If you attend, you will also have multiple opportunities to ask questions – and get answers in real time. And you will leave this training with a holistic and legally sound approach to providing reasonable accommodations to employees with hidden disabilities. This program runs from 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm eastern, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 pm.
Learning takeaways:
- Understand “qualified individual,” “essential functions,” and other terms integral to determining whether to grant reasonable accommodation.
- Successfully take part in the interactive process.
- Determine whether telework is an appropriate accommodation.
- Explain how certain impairments may impact employee performance.
- Communicate effectively with employees during the reasonable accommodation process.
See the Agenda below for a more detailed list of topics.
3
Download Individual Registration Form
Who Should Attend
Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; EEO counselors and investigators; federal supervisors and managers who have employees with reasonable accommodation requests; attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; union representatives.
Agenda
Part 1 – Reasonable Accommodation: The Legal Groundwork
12:30 – 2:00 pm eastern, with Instructor Deborah Hopkins
Course topics: Overview of Reasonable Accommodation law and the Reasonable Accommodation process; the “regarded as” provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act; a closer look at complicated cases involving determining essential functions, the definition of qualified individual, agency obligations during the interactive process, undue hardship claims, medical documentation, telework as accommodation.
Part 2 – Reasonable Accommodation: Practical Applications
2:30 – 4:00 pm eastern, with Instructor Shana Palmieri
Course topics: Understanding common behavioral health conditions, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and personality disorders; methods for accommodating employees with hidden disabilities; effective communication strategies; handling the behavioral health emergency.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $325 (register by August 31).
- Standard Tuition: $365 (register September 1-8).
- Rates per registrant. No split registrations.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast its Virtual Training Institute events. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 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.
- Can I earn CLE credits or EEO refresher training 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. Attendees may also request a certificate for EEO refresher hours upon completion of this program.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through August 31.
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.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Course Description
Almost overnight, our federal workforce has been thrust into unprecedented circumstances disrupting the way that we think about work and how we lead employees. Supervisors are scrambling to figure out how to keep their teams engaged and intact, drive performance, and meet the needs of stakeholders.
Emerging research indicates that employee engagement and related performance are actually exceeding expectations during these difficult times! Virtual isn’t an inferior way to work. It’s just different. In fact, virtual training offers many advantages to the traditional approach that we are all used to. Rather than attempting to do “business as usual” but over a computer screen, consider the tremendous opportunity to thoughtfully build trust and community on your team through richer, more results-driven interactions, more dynamic and innovative team meetings, and increased accountability for performance.
With uncertainty about when things will return to “normal,” now is the time to develop your awareness and skills to drive your team toward success. During this interactive webinar, leadership and team effectiveness expert, Dr. Anthony J. Marchese will equip you with tools that you can implement immediately within your agency to drive performance in a way that is fresh, fun, and drives results. This 75-minute session will address:
- Leading Differently: Considering the Advantages of Virtual Teams
- Leading Engaging Team Meetings
- Leading Performance Conversations
- Leading Career Growth Conversations
- Leading the Agency through Collaboration
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by September 1, 2020):
- 1 line: $140
- 2-5 lines: $225
- 6-9 lines: $300
- 10-15 lines: $385
- 16-20 lines: $465
- Standard Tuition (payments made September 2, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $165
- 2-5 lines: $260
- 6-9 lines: $340
- 10-15 lines: $420
- 16-20 lines: $495
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
If you’re looking for training that covers the gamut of EEO issues, and provides usable guidance for all practitioners, regardless of experience level, this is it: FELTG’s EEOC Law Week Seminar. FELTG’s expert speakers, drawing on years of experience from all sides of the litigation table, deliver a fast-paced week of strategies, principles, and authorities relative to the major aspects of the field of discrimination law in the federal government. This course is updated for 2020, including the latest on EEOC’s COVID-19 guidance and workplace harassment. In addition, this in-depth training provides the required material for EEO counselors and investigators to receive refresher training hours.
The program runs 12:00 – 4:00 pm eastern each day, with a break from 1:45 – 2:15.
3.5 per day.
Download Individual Registration Form
Who Should Attend
Attorneys; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; EEO counselors and investigators; reasonable accommodation coordinators; federal supervisors and managers who have complicated EEO issues in the workplace; Labor and Employee Relations specialists; union representatives.
Instructors
Meghan Droste, Bob Woods, Katherine Atkinson
Daily Agenda
Monday, September 14
Basic EEOC: Nuts & Bolts: Course topics: Statutory authority and jurisdiction of EEOC; an overview of the theories of discrimination; overview of the EEO process; amended and consolidated complaints; timeliness issues in the wake of the Supreme Court decisions in Morgan and Ledbetter.
Tuesday, September 15
Contractor Complaints; Intentional Discrimination and Reprisal Cases: Course topics: The agency’s role and obligations when a contractor files an EEO complaint; intentional discrimination analysis and cases; selection and promotion cases; a focus on national origin and religious discrimination cases; reprisal analysis and case updates.
Wednesday, September 16
Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities: Course topics: The Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, defining individual with a disability, understanding major life activities and substantial limitations; identifying essential job functions; the legal requirements for the interactive process; types of reasonable accommodation; the latest on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and relevant regulations.
Thursday, September 17
Current Trends in EEO Law: A Focus on Harassment: Course topics: The very latest on what’s happening in EEO; hostile environment harassment; gender stereotyping; same-sex harassment; recent court decisions on sexual orientation and transgender discrimination including the SCOTUS decision Bostock v. Clayton County; non-EEO harassment; settling EEO cases.
Friday, September 18
Mixed Cases; Damages & Remedies: Course topics: Understanding the world of mixed cases; overview of equitable remedies: back pay, front pay, reinstatement; non-pecuniary and pecuniary damages; past and future damages; damages offsets; the duty to mitigate damages; collateral sources and pre-existing conditions; multiple causations of harm; the eggshell complainant.
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 August 31):
- 5 days = $1475
- 4 days = $1195
- 3 days = $910
- 2 days = $630
- 1 day = $345
Standard Tuition (register September 1 – 18):
- 5 days = $1550
- 4 days = $1285
- 3 days = $975
- 2 days = $685
- 1 day = $395
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 August 31.
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.
Instructor
Series Description
Join FELTG Instructor Joe Schimansky for this two-part webinar series on the timely and challenging federal labor relation topics your agency is facing. A new era of federal LR was ushered in with President Trump’s three executive orders, which cleared court review in 2019. Mr. Schimansky will explain how the EOs and FLRA case law have changed negotiations over the past few months, and he’ll share new bargaining strategies that have emerged in the current climate.
But first, the webinar series will kick off with an explanation of the union’s right to be involved in discussions. You’ll learn when meetings become formal discussions or Weingarten meetings, and what to do when an employee requests union representation.
Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.
- September 3, 2020 – Meeting Your Responsibility When Discussions Become Formal: Union rights and responsibilities; management obligations; what a union rep can and cannot do during a formal discussion; what constitutes a reasonable belief the discipline may occur; EEO-related meetings.
- September 17, 2020 – The Changing World of Federal Sector Negotiations: Bargaining obligations; status quo; permissive bargaining; conditions of employment vs. working conditions; the Trump Executive Orders; three categories of bargaining
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by August 24)
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made August 24-September 17)
- Register for both webinars by August 24 and pay only $470!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructor
Course Description
The Bureau of Labor Statistics report on occupational fatalities, released in late 2019, revealed an alarming trend: Workplace suicides had risen by 11 percent since the previous year, and reached the highest number since the report began tracking these fatalities 26 years ago. This tragic phenomenon of workplace suicides is a growing concern and has been dubbed “the next frontier” in workplace safety.
Join Shana Palmieri, LCSW, for this 90-minute webinar as she discusses the practical and clinical aspects of behavioral health disorders that lead to suicide risk. She will also provide an overview of suicide and suicidal ideation in the United States and in the workplace, and share real answers on what you can do to help save an employee’s life. This is the second webinar in our three-part series on Handling Behavioral Health Issues in the Federal Workplace.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the signs and symptoms of suicide that indicate the need for professional intervention
- Effectively communicate to employees about suicide
- Handle a suicidal crisis in the workplace
The webinar will also include time for Q & A on these topics. This is a session you truly can’t afford to miss, so register your site today.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site, per session (payment made by May 12).
- Standard Tuition: $305 per site, per session (payment made May 13 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Download Individual Registration Form
Event Description
Investigating harassment in your agency can be an intimidating assignment, one that is rife with innuendo, conflicting accounts, and raw emotions. Ensuring that your investigation is legally compliant and protects employees, while helping the agency minimize liability, is a taxing task. It’s even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic when most investigations must be done virtually.
Together, these three instructor-led live training sessions will provide a solid basis for a successful and effective approach to conducting legally-sufficient harassment investigations that stand up upon third-party review. Peruse MSPB and EEOC cases and you’ll find that poorly conducted investigations are far more common than they should be, and the cost of these investigations to agencies are bigger than you’d expect.
Understand the differences between EEO and non-EEO harassment. Learn the best techniques to conduct an investigation – whether onsite or virtually. Write a report that covers all the crucial information. And much more.
This open enrollment FELTG Virtual Training Institute program Conducting Effective Harassment Investigations offers opportunities to ask questions of FELTG’s experienced instructors, and get answers in real time. Plus, this program fulfills the requirements for 8-hour annual EEO investigator refresher training.
You can register for any of the sessions individually, or you can register for all three. This program runs from 12:30 – 4:00 eastern each day, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 eastern. Participants will receive program materials via email on Monday, October 5.
Download Individual Registration Form
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Session 1: Investigating Harassment: Misconduct Principles
12:30 pm – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
Course Description: An effective harassment investigation begins with a solid foundation of misconduct law in the federal workplace. Attorney and FELTG President Deborah J. Hopkins will explain the principles that underpin a successful investigation of federal employee misconduct, whether it’s on-duty or off-duty. Attendees will learn the five elements of discipline and understand how they relate to the misconduct investigation process. Plus, they’ll learn about evidence standards and burdens of proof in misconduct cases, how Douglas factors play in to an investigation, the importance of nexus, what to do when a witness won’t cooperate, and much more.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the relationship between the foundations of federal accountability and misconduct investigations.
- Identify and collect relevant penalty evidence during the investigation.
- Recognize the mistakes that derail effective misconduct and harassment investigations.
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Session 2: Understanding Harassment and Planning the Investigation
12:30 pm – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
Course description: What is the scope of the investigation? Who should you interview? What documents are you going to need? Preparing your investigative plan is a critical step in developing a legally sufficient investigation. Attorney Katherine Atkinson will explain the proper role of the investigator and how you can avoid the pitfalls of an insufficient investigation with the proper preparation and knowledge. Plus, she’ll answer important questions about representation: Does the witness have the right to a representative? Does the union have a right to attend the interview – even if the witness doesn’t want the union there? What rights does agency management have in the process?
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discern the difference between EEO and non-EEO harassment, and the impact that has on the investigations’ legal sufficiency.
- Identify witness rights and management rights.
- Recognize the three basic characteristics of evidence in a harassment investigation.
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Session 3: Conducting the Investigation and Writing the Report
12:30 pm – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Meghan Droste, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
Course description: Attorney Meghan Droste will share legal principles and proven guidance to navigate this most critical and challenging part of harassment investigations: conducting the interviews and gathering relevant evidence. Attendees will leave the session with techniques for questioning, tools for reading body language, suggestions on how to handle difficult personality types, and tips for writing the fact-finding report (FFR) and report of investigation (ROI). Ms. Droste will also share how technology is changing the investigation process, including a very timely discussion of conducting virtual interviews.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the similarities and differences in conducting onsite and virtual interviews.
- Apply logic and judgment to evaluate conflicting statements.
- Write a fulsome report on the findings from the harassment investigation.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (register by September 25): One Session = $325 | Two Sessions = $600 | Full Event = $850
- Standard Tuition (register September 26 – October 8): One Session = $375 | Two Sessions = $650 | Full Event = $900
- Rates per registrant. No split registrations permitted.
- Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through September 25. Contact FELTG.
- REGISTER NOW.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 attendees for the full event. Group discounts are only available through September 25.
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.
Download Individual Registration Form
Event Description
Holding federal employees accountable for performance and conduct is easier than you might think. Too many supervisors believe that an employee’s protected activity (EEO complaints, whistleblower disclosures, or union activity) precludes the supervisor from initiating a suspension or removal, but that’s just not true. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more imperative your employees are doing the work they are assigned to do, and following all workplace rules along the way.
FELTG is here to make federal supervisors’ and advisers’ lives easier by clarifying those misconceptions while helping supervisors understand how to take defensible misconduct actions quickly and fairly – actions that withstand scrutiny on appeal by the MSPB, EEOC, or in grievance arbitration. Plus, if you have an under-performing employee working for you now, we will show you the steps to take to give the employee an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance, and how to determine whether the employee is successful or should be removed. In addition, we’ll discuss how you can defend against allegations of discrimination and hostile work environment claims, and the role of the supervisor and advisor throughout the EEO process.
Join us for this three-day seminar and come away with the tools you need to hold your employees accountable, and defend every action you take.
The program runs from 12:00 – 4:30 eastern each day, with a break from 2:00 – 2:30, and when taken together days 1 & 2 meet OPM’s mandatory training requirements for federal supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
Download Individual Registration Form
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Session 1: Accountability for Conduct and Performance, Part I
12:00 pm – 4:30 pm eastern (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
Course Description: This program begins with a discussion on the foundations of accountability and supervisory authority in the federal government. After learning to identify the differences between performance and conduct issues, the seminar will shift the focus to discipline and misconduct theory and practice. From emphasizing the five elements of misconduct, to explaining how an agency can defend its penalty and provide the employee with due process, to a discussion on discipline procedures and appeals, the attendee will receive a thorough education on properly – and legally – handling employee misconduct issues in the federal workplace.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the differences between employee performance and misconduct issues
- Identify the five elements that must be presents in every discipline case
- Recognize the supervisor’s and advisor’s roles in disciplinary procedures and appeals
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Session 2: Accountability for Conduct and Performance, Part II
12:00 pm – 4:30 pm eastern (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
Course Description: This session begins with a focus on one of the most misunderstood areas of accountability: poor performance. The conversation includes the requirements to implement a performance demonstration period, initiating and completing a performance-based action, and determining the appropriate outcome after the employee has been given an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance. From there, the discussion turns to some tricky supervisory scenarios that become less intimidating after explanation: dealing with attendance issues, properly handling the absent employee, medical removals and dealing with union issues.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the legally-required procedures to hold an employee accountable for poor performance
- Identify and implement the procedures to deal with leave abuse
- Acknowledge how dealing with employees in a bargaining unit is different than non-bargaining unit employees
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Session 3: Defending Against Discrimination Complaints: The Supervisor’s Role in EEO
12:00 pm – 4:30 pm eastern (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
Course Description: One of the most intimidating experiences for a federal supervisor is being named in an EEO complaint. Yet, if you are a supervisor for any length of time, there’s a good chance it will happen. This session helps to clarify the federal EEO process so supervisors understand how defend against allegations of discrimination. After an explanation of the protected EEO categories, we’ll cover what to do – and what not to do – if you’re a Responding Management Official in a complaint, and what happens if you’re called as an EEO witness. From there, the program will cover the theories of discrimination, and will provide you with the tools you need to prove your workplace actions were legitimate and non-discriminatory. You’ll sleep better at night after attending this session!
Learning Objectives
- Identify the theories of discrimination in the federal workplace
- Recognize the situations where a employees need reasonable accommodation – and your role in the process
- Understand how to successfully defend against allegations of harassment and discrimination
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition (register by September 30):
- 3 days = $1015
- 2 days = $700
- 1 day = $370
Standard Tuition (register October 1-15):
- 3 days = $1045
- 2 days = $730
- 1 day = $400
Seminar registration includes a PDF copy of the program materials, plus a hard copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, 5th ed., by Wiley and Hopkins. In order to receive the textbook by the training date, please register by September 30 and provide a shipping address. Registrations received after September 30 will also receive a textbook, but materials are not guaranteed to arrive by the training date.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 September 30.