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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
You have to earn your Ethics CLE credits, so you might as well do it the FELTG way and really learn something. This special two-hour ethics webinar led by attorney Ann Boehm, who spent more than 25 years working in employment and labor law for federal agencies, will provide content focused specifically for government attorneys. Ms. Boehm will discuss ethics in relation to defining the client, filings and pleadings, contractors, personal conduct and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to work their way through ethically challenging hypothetical scenarios and to ask questions.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site (payment required by October 5, 2020)
Standard Tuition: $325 per site (for payments made October 6, 2020 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
A lot of employees think they work in a hostile environment, and some do. But not all of the employees who make that claim actually work in a place that meets the legal definition of hostile work environment, which is a term of art.
In addition, not all hostile work environment cases involve sexual harassment. In fact, hostile environment harassment can be alleged based on any protected category: sex, race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or reprisal.
Attorney and FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson will share the guidance you need to identify hostile work environment, discusses agency and supervisor liability, and provide successful prevention techniques.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify which categories are protected – and which are not.
- Understand the requirements of “unwelcome” and “sufficiently severe or pervasive.”
- Effectively address instances of hostile work environment.
1
This webinar is part of the Fall 2020 Webinar Series.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by October 3)
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made October 4)
- Register for all eight webinars by October 3 and pay only $1825!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste, Bob Woods, Barbara Haga, Joe Schimansky
Series Description
These are demanding times. Even if your agency isn’t laser-focused on pandemic-related efforts, it is most certainly challenged to meet its mission while managing the burdens and stresses of a workplace changed by the coronavirus crisis.
Meanwhile, new issues arise that make navigating the complex and always-changing landscape of federal employment law even more difficult.
FELTG’s fall webinar series provides an opportunity to re-center your efforts, while you re-educate yourself on key legal concepts impacting today’s federal workplace.
Over eight 60-minute webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from harassment to age discrimination, from medical removals to the new Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, from performance and disciplinary documents to whistleblower reprisal, as well as legal updates and recent case law involving EEO and labor relations. Register now for one, a few, or all of the courses in the series.
Sessions will be held on Tuesdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET. Click on any webinar title for a full description.
- October 13 – Addressing Age Discrimination in the Federal Workplace
- October 20 – Preventing and Correcting Hostile Environment Harassment
- October 27 – Solving Problems with Disciplinary and Performance Documents
- November 3 – When Employees Can’t Get to Work: What You Need to Know About Medical Removals
- November 10 – Implementing the New Federal Employee Paid Leave Act
- November 17 – Why, How and When to Avoid Whistleblower Reprisal
- December 1 – What’s Going on With Federal Sector EEO? Case Law Updates and More
- December 8 – What’s Going on at the FLRA? Case Law Updates and More
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by October 3)
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made October 4 or later)
- Register for all eight webinars by October 3 and pay only $1825!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis. Have a bunch of teleworkers? Contact FELTG for group discounts.
Download Individual Registration Form
COVID-19 and EEO: What Agencies Need to Know Today
Back by demand and updated with the very latest guidance!
The workplace has been turned upside down over the last several months, as more than a million federal employees left their desks and agency facilities to work from home. Some agencies are ordering employees back to their offices and facilities while others are teleworking long-term. Although fewer people are working in the office, EEO problems have not vanished. Plus, EEO problems for workers whose presence is deemed essential – such as health care providers, security officers, law enforcement officials – are on the rise.
HR specialists, EEO professionals, agency attorneys and supervisors are finding that instead of decreasing as social distancing continues, EEO problems are getting more challenging – and some of the questions that are arising have no legal precedent, due to the unprecedented nature of this pandemic. It’s expected that these challenges will continue, and possibly increase, once the majority of workers report back to their offices.
It may seem as though you’re suddenly navigating uncharted waters. Have no fear. During this half-day virtual training event, Attorney Katherine Atkinson will explain how applying the basic EEO framework can answer the aforementioned and other puzzling EEO questions you may suddenly face. Because Ms. Atkinson will use a legal analysis to address these challenges, the answers and guidance you receive during this virtual training will be useful long after the coronavirus is gone.
Topics covered will include answers to these questions:
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- How would you handle an employee’s claim that he’s being harassed because he is at high risk for COVID-19, or has recovered from the virus?
- Can you direct someone with asthma to telework when she prefers to work in the office?
- Must you provide telework or other accommodations to all employees with pre-existing conditions that make them high risk for COVID-19?
- Can the agency require a temperature check or COVID-19 screening before allowing an employee to report to work?
Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to determine:
- Whether an employee with COVID-19 or pre-existing respiratory sensitivities should receive a reasonable accommodation.
- How OPM’s telework flexibilities impact the federal workplace.
- When and how to take action against pandemic-related harassment and discrimination.
This program runs from 12:30 – 4:00 eastern, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 eastern.
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Download Individual Registration Form
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (register by October 12): $340
- Standard Tuition (register October 13-22): $380
- Rates per registrant.
- Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through October 12. Contact FELTG.
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. You may also attend the training event as an audio training, by dialing in over the phone and following along with the materials independently.
- 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. Group discounts are available through October 12.
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
A majority of federal employees say their managers fail to take the necessary steps to address poor-performing coworkers – in fact, the 2019 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey reported that only 34% of employees are happy with how their supervisors handle poor performers. And there is a general sense throughout government that in most agencies, misconduct is not being handled effectively. The problem often isn’t that supervisors are not addressing performance and conduct problems – it’s that they’re doing it incorrectly.
A poorly chosen word, too many unnecessary words, the wrong charge, too much discussion of evidence – these common occurrences will derail your efforts. FELTG President and Attorney at Law Deborah Hopkins will identify the pitfalls and offer direct guidance on drafting legally-sufficient discipline and performance documents.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Properly assess and draft mitigating and aggravating factors.
- Identify the pros and cons of the different styles of charges.
- Draft an effective Performance Demonstration Period initiation memo.
This webinar is part of the Fall 2020 Webinar Series.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by October 3)
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made October 4)
- Register for all eight webinars by October 3 and pay only $1825!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste, Bob Woods, Barbara Haga, Joe Schimansky
Series Description
These are demanding times. Even if your agency isn’t laser-focused on pandemic-related efforts, it is most certainly challenged to meet its mission while managing the burdens and stresses of a workplace changed by the coronavirus crisis.
Meanwhile, new issues arise that make navigating the complex and always-changing landscape of federal employment law even more difficult.
FELTG’s fall webinar series provides an opportunity to re-center your efforts, while you re-educate yourself on key legal concepts impacting today’s federal workplace.
Over eight 60-minute webinars, FELTG’s experienced and knowledgeable instructors provide support on everything from harassment to age discrimination, from medical removals to the new Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, from performance and disciplinary documents to whistleblower reprisal, as well as legal updates and recent case law involving EEO and labor relations. Register now for one, a few, or all of the courses in the series.
Sessions will be held on Tuesdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET. Click on any webinar title for a full description.
- October 13 – Addressing Age Discrimination in the Federal Workplace
- October 20 – Preventing and Correcting Hostile Environment Harassment
- October 27 – Solving Problems with Disciplinary and Performance Documents
- November 3 – When Employees Can’t Get to Work: What You Need to Know About Medical Removals
- November 10 – Implementing the New Federal Employee Paid Leave Act
- November 17 – Why, How and When to Avoid Whistleblower Reprisal
- December 1 – What’s Going on With Federal Sector EEO? Case Law Updates and More
- December 8 – What’s Going on at the FLRA? Case Law Updates and More
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by October 3)
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made October 4 or later)
- Register for all eight webinars by October 3 and pay only $1825!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis. Have a bunch of teleworkers? Contact FELTG for group discounts.