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 Yet, too many agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law.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.
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.
Download Individual Registration Form
This week of FELTG training focuses on conducting administrative investigations in the federal workplace with an emphasis on employee misconduct including workplace harassment. After an overview of the substantive law, participants will learn procedures and best practices for conducting administrative investigations, including understanding what constitutes misconduct, the differences between EEO and non-EEO harassment, planning the investigation, fact finding, collecting evidence, dealing with witnesses, understanding types of questioning, and testifying at hearing. The week concludes with a day focused on writing an investigative report.
Special content will also discuss conducting investigations during a pandemic including tips for interviewing witnesses virtually, addressing safety concerns during in-person interviewing and evidence gathering, and more.
The program runs 12:30 – 4:00 eastern each day, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30.
This program meets the requirements for training under the Department of Interior’s Anti-Harassment Policy.
Instructors
TBD
Daily Agenda
Monday, August 24
Administrative Investigations: The Substantive Basis: Why investigate; discipline law and elements; understanding charges of misconduct; collecting penalty evidence; law behind other types of administrative investigations; witness rights; union representation.
Tuesday, August 25
Harassment Investigations: Investigating allegations of harassment; differentiating between EEO and non-EEO harassment; the intersection with criminal investigations; special considerations in light of #MeToo and #TimesUp.
Wednesday, August 26
Conducting the Investigation, Part I: Evidentiary principles; purpose of investigation; preparing for the investigation; role of the investigator; planning the investigation. beginning the interview.
Thursday, August 27
Conducting the Investigation, Part II: Conducting the interview; handling difficult witnesses; assessing credibility/lies/hearing what isn’t said; body language; gathering other evidence; technology and investigations; high profile case considerations; testifying at an administrative hearing; rules for being an effective witness.
Friday, August 28
Writing the Investigative Report: Organizing for the report; establishing the chronology; writing for your audience; report writing style; report writing conventions; report organization; sample report.
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 14):
- 5 days = $1425
- 4 days = $1150
- 3 days = $860
- 2 days = $580
- 1 day = $295
Standard Tuition (register August 15 – 28):
- 5 days = $1495
- 4 days = $1225
- 3 days = $925
- 2 days = $635
- 1 day = $345
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 14.
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.
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.
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
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
Course Description
Federal employees enjoy a wide variety of leave-related benefits. However, many of us would never use the words “enjoy” and “leave” so closely together. Whether you’re an HR professional, employee relations practitioner, EEO specialist, supervisor, or agency counsel, you have undoubtedly faced a leave-related challenge. FELTG’s Absence, Leave Abuse & Medical Issues Week will give you the critical foundation you need to address the most complex areas of federal employment law, including the recent challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our speakers will discuss sick leave, annual leave, leave without pay, absence without leave, and FMLA. Then they will tackle the most current, relevant topics, such as disciplining employees for leave abuse, dealing with medical issues and unacceptable performance, leave and reasonable accommodation, medical documentation, medical exams, and more.
If you attend, you’re going to learn an awful lot about “leave” and you’re going to “enjoy” the training.
The program runs 12:00 – 4:00 each day, with a break from 1:45-2:15 (all times eastern). Participants will receive program materials via email on Friday, September 25.
Download Individual Registration Form
Who Should Attend
Attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; federal supervisors and managers; union representatives.
Instructors
Barbara Haga, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Daily Agenda:
Monday, September 28
Leave Use Overview: Course topics: Emergency Paid Sick Leave, Sick Leave: eligibility, notification requirements, medical certification, dealing with abuse, Additional Leave Entitlements, Administrative Leave.
Tuesday, September 29
FMLA Law and Policy: Course topics: FMLA: eligibility, notification requirements, definition of serious health condition, medical certification, intermittent use, and Paid Family Leave.
Wednesday, September 30
Leave-Related Discipline & Medical Removals: Course topics: The five elements of discipline; leave-related misconduct; documentation necessary to discipline an employee for leave-related misconduct and leave abuse; AWOL charges; excessive absence removals; medical inability to perform removals.
Thursday, October 1
Reasonable Accommodation: Entitlements and Processes: Course topics: The ADA Amendments Act; the Rehabilitation Act; the reasonable accommodation process; the “regarded as” provision of the ADA; telework and leave as reasonable accommodation; flexible work schedules and alternative work locations; religious accommodation.
Friday, October 2
Medical Documentation, Medical Requests and Record Confidentiality: Course topics: How the ADAAA and GINA impact the collection of medical information; pre- and post-employment medical exams and inquiries; conditional employment offers; medical documentation requests; direct threat; conflicting regulations and contra court 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 September 14):
- 5 days = $1475
- 4 days = $1195
- 3 days = $910
- 2 days = $630
- 1 day = $345
Standard Tuition (register September 15 – October 2):
- 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 September 14.
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.
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.
3
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.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
One of the hardest things for a supervisor to handle is a legitimately sick employee who stays out of work for an extended period of time. How long is it reasonable for an employee to stay employed and yet not come to work? What can a supervisor do if the employee just won’t return? During this 60-minute webinar, Ann Boehm will provide agency advisers and supervisors with the tools needed to remove employees who are medically no longer able to perform their federal jobs.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Use the Cook criteria to determine whether an excessive absence removal is appropriate.
- Understand the elements of the Medical Inability to Perform charge.
- Determine when a reasonable accommodation of absence is appropriate.
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
Handling Cases Before the EEOC, MSPB and in Arbitration: Best Practices for Representatives
Litigating cases in federal sector employment law is a unique prospect, and isn’t for the unprepared. In addition, taking a case to arbitration is also a world of its own. This half-day virtual class focuses on providing tips to practice effectively and successfully in administrative hearings before the EEOC, MSPB, and in arbitration. Learn the similarities and differences between these forums, how to get organized for the hearing, and the techniques of effective direct- and cross-examination, and gain insight to the thought processes of the adjudicators. Plus, you’ll receive an overview of the available appellate procedures – from someone who has vast experience .
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn:
- The unique aspects to practicing before the EEOC, MSPB and in arbitration
- The best techniques for persuading the adjudicator
- How to handle hearings in a virtual setting
- They ways in which administrative hearings are NOT like litigating in court
Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times. 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
Instructor
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (register by October 26): $340
- Standard Tuition (register October 27-November 5): $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
Barbara Haga
Course Description
During this 60-minute webinar, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the details practitioners need 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 are effective on October 1, 2020. Ms. Haga will focus eligibility, computing the number of hours an employee may be paid for, the length of time the employee has to use the leave, and notification procedures. Attendees will learn about return to work agreements and the enforcement of those agreements.
Attendees will also learn how to:
- Explain all of the conditions that determine when a parent is eligible to utilize the paid leave.
- Identify when the leave may be used after the son or daughter is born or placed.
- Successfully execute return to work agreements and determine what funds can be collected if the employee does not return to work.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
Workplace violence statistics tell a harrowing story. In 2017, workplace assaults resulted in 458 fatalities and 18,400 injuries.
This topic is too important to ignore. Join FELTG for the webinar Threats of Violence in the Federal Workplace: Assessing Risk and Taking Action. This program will be instructed by Shana Palmieri, FELTG instructor and LCSW who specializes in mental health and handled the psychiatric aftermath of the Navy Yard shooting in 2013.
The session is focused on the practical and clinical issues that agencies encounter when dealing with an employee whose behavior poses a risk to workplace safety. Discussion points include:
- Warning signs that violence may be imminent, and dynamic risk and protective factors for workplace targeted violence
- Equipping Threat Management Teams to respond to threats or violent acts
- Understanding the behavioral health issues that contribute to violent behavior – and those that don’t
- Preparing for domestic or intimate partner violence and its interplay with the federal 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. This is the final webinar of FELTG’s three-part series Handling Behavioral Health Issues in the Federal Workplace.
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
This week focuses on conducting administrative investigations in the federal workplace with an emphasis on employee misconduct including workplace harassment. After an overview of the substantive law, participants will learn procedures and best practices for conducting investigations in the federal workplace, including planning the investigation, factfinding, collecting evidence, dealing with witnesses, understanding types of questioning, and testifying at hearing. The week concludes with a day focused on writing an investigative report.
This program fulfills the requirements for 32-hour EEO Investigator training and 8-hour annual EEO investigator refresher training.
This program runs from 9:30 – 4:00 eastern each day, with a 60-minute break from 12:00 – 1:00. See blow for a detailed agenda.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructors
Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Daily Agenda
Monday
Administrative Investigations: The Substantive Basis: Why investigate; discipline law and elements; understanding charges of misconduct; collecting penalty evidence; the law behind other types of administrative investigations; reprisal investigations.
Tuesday
Harassment Investigations: Investigating allegations of harassment; differentiating between EEO and non-EEO harassment; the EEO process for EEO investigators; special topics.
Wednesday
Conducting the Investigation, Part I: Evidentiary principles; witness rights; union representation; purpose of investigation; preparing for the investigation; role of the investigator; planning the investigation; beginning the interview; exercise.
Thursday
Conducting the Investigation, Part II: Conducting the interview; handling difficult witnesses; assessing credibility/lies/hearing what isn’t said; body language; gathering other evidence; technology and investigations; high-profile case considerations; medical information and investigations.
Friday
Writing the Investigative Report: Organizing for the report; establishing the chronology; writing for your audience; report writing style; report writing conventions; report organization; sample report.
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 November 2):
- 5 days = $2190
- 4 days = $1795
- 3 days = $1385
- 2 days = $980
- 1 day = $540
Standard Tuition (register November 3-20):
- 5 days = $2290
- 4 days = $1895
- 3 days = $1485
- 2 days = $1080
- 1 day = $640
Group discounts are available through November 2. Contact FELTG.
Class Materials
Seminar registration includes a printed copy of the materials. In order to have the best chance to receive materials by the training date, please register by November 2 and provide a shipping address, and your materials will be sent via USPS Priority Mail. Registrations received after November 2 will also receive printed materials, which will be shipped Priority Mail when registration is received; they may not arrive in time for the training.
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 November 2.
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.
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.