Calendar

FELTG Executive Director Deborah Hopkins instructing a class
Sep
28
Mon
Virtual Training Event – Absence, Leave Abuse & Medical Issues Week
Sep 28 – Oct 2 all-day

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.
Oct
6
Tue
Virtual Training Event: Conducting Effective Harassment Investigations
Oct 6 – Oct 8 all-day

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.

Oct
13
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Developing and Defending Discipline: Holding Federal Employees Accountable
Oct 13 – Oct 15 all-day

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.
Oct
20
Tue
Webinar – Preventing and Correcting Hostile Environment Harassment
Oct 20 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

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.

Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Oct 20 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Oct
22
Thu
Virtual Training Event – COVID-19 and EEO: What Agencies Need to Know Today
Oct 22 all-day

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.

Oct
27
Tue
Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Oct 27 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Nov
2
Mon
Precedents Broken: The New Future of Collective Bargaining
Nov 2 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Individual Registration Form

Instructor

Ann Boehm

Program Description

The Federal Labor Relations Authority recently issued three precedent-breaking general guidance decisions that will profoundly alter federal union collective bargaining rights. What do these decisions hold? How specifically do they change the negotiating world for management and unions? And why issue general guidance decisions now, just before an election?

Join Attorney at Law and FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm for a 60-minute webinar as she dissects what these decisions mean for agencies, and what steps officials should be taking right now in light of these stunning rulings. Beginning in 2018 and continuing today, Labor Relations hasn’t seen this much action in decades.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Explain the standard for triggering a duty to bargain over impact and implementation.
  • Determine whether agencies have an obligation to midterm bargaining.
  • Clarify how these decisions impact the use of zipper clauses.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (payment required by October 21, 2020):
    • 1 line: $170
    • 2-5 lines: $255
    • 6-9 lines: $330
    • 10-15 lines: $415
    • 16-20 lines: $495
  • Standard Tuition (payment made October 22, 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.

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.

Nov
3
Tue
Webinar – When Employees Can’t Get to Work: What You Need to Know About Medical Removals
Nov 3 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Ann Boehm

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.

Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Nov 3 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Nov
5
Thu
Virtual Training Event – Handling Cases Before the EEOC, MSPB and in Arbitration: Best Practices for Representatives
Nov 5 @ 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm

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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Instructor

 

 

 

 

Katherine Atkinson

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.

Nov
10
Tue
Webinar – Implementing the New Federal Employee Paid Leave Act
Nov 10 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Nov 10 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Nov
12
Thu
Webinar – Threats of Violence in the Federal Workplace: Assessing Risk and Taking Action
Nov 12 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Shana Palmieri

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.

Nov
16
Mon
Virtual Training Event: Workplace Investigations Week
Nov 16 – Nov 20 all-day

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 BoehmKatherine AtkinsonMeghan 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.

Nov
17
Tue
Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Nov 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Dec
1
Tue
Webinar – What’s Going on With Federal Sector EEO? Case Law Update and More
Dec 1 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

If you’re a federal EEO practitioner, attorney, or HR professional, you can’t afford to sleep on recent EEOC decisions. And you also certainly can’t afford to sit through a boring case law update that will put you to sleep. That’s why you need to join Attorney and FELTG Instructor Meghan Droste for this fast-paced review of the most surprising, significant, and groundbreaking recent decisions from the EEOC – and the Supreme Court. And you’ll get your questions answered in real time.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Analyze the Supreme Court decisions in Bostock and Babb v. Wilkie.
  • Understand the impact of recent decisions involving retaliation.
  • Understand the impact of recent decisions involving harassment.

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.

Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Dec 1 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Dec
8
Tue
Webinar – What’s Going on at the FLRA? Case Law Update and More
Dec 8 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Joseph Schimansky

Program Description

The lights are off on the Executive Floor at the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is still waiting on new Commissioners. However, despite the lack of a General Counsel the Federal Labor Relations Authority keeps chugging along, releasing numerous significant decisions, most recently three precedent-breaking decisions that will alter the future of collective bargaining in the federal sector. Don’t let yourself fall behind. Join FELTG Instructor Joseph Schimansky, the former Executive Director of the Federal Service Impasses Panel, as he reviews the most recent FLRA decisions and union actions, including decisions undercutting deference to arbitrators regarding procedural arbitrability, past practices, temporary promotions and remedies.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Evaluate the significance of the FLRA’s most recent major policy decisions.
  • Determine which standard to use — “excessive interference” or “abrogation” — when assessing whether an arbitration award violates a management right.
  • Determine whether agencies have an obligation to midterm bargaining.
  • Understand the Authority’s new interpretation of sections 7116(d) and 7131(d) of the Statute.
  • Recognize the significance of the DC Circuit’s reversal of the FLRA’s decision on “conditions of employment” and “working conditions.

This program 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.

Webinar Series – FELTG’s Fall 2020 Webinars
Dec 8 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

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.

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.

Feb
3
Wed
Virtual Training Event – The Performance Equation: Providing Feedback That Makes a Difference
Feb 3 all-day

Download Registration Form

There is one action you can take that, when done effectively, could have a major impact on your team’s morale and productivity. This action is something that you should be doing on a regular basis, yet it’s often overlooked amid your busy schedule. What’s this transformative action? It’s giving your employees honest, and ongoing, feedback.

During this half-day interactive virtual training experience, FELTG Instructor Anthony Marchese, Ph.D., will equip participants with the necessary tools to nurture a culture of candor that will lead to healthy and actionable feedback. You’ll learn best practices for motivating and recognizing employees, and neuroscience-based strategies for maximizing performance even when leading employees in a virtual environment. Dr. Marchese will also expose feedback myths and share the ineffective practices that you need to avoid.

Don’t let anxiety, frustration, or confusion prevent you from having honest performance-related discussions with your employees. Providing feedback effectively is a skill that can — and should — be developed. Fix performance problems before they begin. Make your agency a more efficient place to work.

This interactive session will include breakout groups, giving participants a chance to interact with each other.

Learning Objectives

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Communicate performance expectations.
  • Supervise effectively in a virtual environment.
  • Differentiate between positive and negative framing.
  • Identify behavioral styles, including your own, to provide feedback that is better understood and more useful.

Also, you will have numerous  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.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Anthony Marchese

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by January 22): $325
  • Standard Tuition (register January 23 – February 3): $365
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through January 22. Contact FELTG.

 

Event FAQs

  • Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
    • FELTG uses Zoom for this Virtual Training Institute events. Many government computers and systems allow Zoom access. If for some reason your firewall will not allow access, you’re welcome to use your personal email address to register, and to attend the sessions from your personal device. 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 15.

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.

Feb
9
Tue
Webinar – Changing Course: Understanding the Biden Executive Orders on Racial Equity, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation
Feb 9 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Course Description

On his first day in office, President Joseph R. Biden made it clear that Federal employees are a priority: He took action to advance racial equity throughout the federal government and strengthen workplace discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A focus of this Administration early on has been to celebrate the diversity of the Federal workforce and to make it an inclusive place for all employees.

Now, it’s up to you.  Executive Orders 13985 and 13988 denote a sense of urgency, and include agency requirements with timelines to perform necessary compliance actions, some as soon as 60 days – and the clock started ticking on January 20.

In this 60-minute webinar, FELTG President and attorney at law Deborah Hopkins will give a thorough explanation of the two first-day executive orders that call upon agencies to review current policies and procedures, and develop plans to “address unequal barriers to opportunity in agency policies and programs.” This webinar will focus on the following Executive Orders, and will also discuss other applicable actions taken by President Biden:

  • Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
  • Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation

So where do you start? What do the Executive Orders specifically prescribe? And what’s necessary to meet those requirements? Join us on February 9 to get those answers.

Like all FELTG training events, this webinar will be updated to the minute. You can’t afford to miss it.

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (price per webinar, payment required by February 1): $255

Standard Tuition (price per webinar, payment made February 2 or later): $285

Remote working? Teleworker lines may be added to a main site registration for $50 per person, on a space-available basis.

Interested in registering more than 50 attendees? Contact FELTG for information about large group pricing.

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.

Webinar – Changing Course: Understanding the Biden Executive Order on Labor Relations, Performance, Discipline, and Schedule F
Feb 9 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Course Description

When President Biden signed Executive Order 14003, Protecting the Federal Workforce, he revoked President Trump’s Executive Orders 13836, 13837, and 13839 and eradicated the Schedule F classification mandated by Executive Order 13957. It’s been decades since the civil service has seen so much change in just one stroke of a pen.

This far-reaching Executive Order has significant impact on labor relations official time, contract negotiation timelines, topics of bargaining, performance and disciplinary actions for non-union employees, clean record settlements, and more.

You might have questions, such as:

  • What does this mean if your CBAs were already renegotiated?
  • Is progressive discipline going to be mandatory now?
  • Do Performance Demonstration Periods have to be longer than 30 days? Can we call them PIPs again?
  • What happens if your agency already sent Schedule F lists to OPM?
  • What will become of the OPM regulations implementing EO 13839
  • What changes if permissive bargaining is now mandatory?

In this 90-minute webinar presented by FELTG President Deborah Hopkins and FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm, you will get answers to those questions and much more. EO 14003 prescribes several specific actions that agencies must take. So where do you start? Join us on February 9 to get those answers.

Like all FELTG training events, this webinar will be updated to the minute. You can’t afford to miss it.

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins

Ann Boehm

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (price per webinar, payment required by February 1): $295

Standard Tuition (price per webinar, payment made February 2 or later): $325

Remote working? Teleworker lines may be added to a main site registration for $50 per person, on a space-available basis.

Interested in registering more than 50 attendees? Contact FELTG for information about large group pricing.

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.

Feb
17
Wed
Webinar – Sex Discrimination, Gender Identity, and LGBTQ+ Protections: A Priority in the Federal Workplace Under Executive Order 13988
Feb 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

 

Course Description

 

In his first few hours in the Oval Office, President Joseph R. Biden signed the Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation.

In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that an individual’s sexual orientation or transgender status is covered under Title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination. And Biden’s Executive Order makes it clear that enforcing workplace discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity is a priority.

During this 90-minute webinar, Attorney at Law Katherine Atkinson will provide all of the information you need to know to comply with the law and manage this priority. She will review and discuss the latest Supreme Court decisions, define the term and explain the concept of “gender stereotyping” as sex discrimination.

Attendees will learn the details of the Biden Executive Order, as well as:

  • Transgender status and legal protections
  • Actions that have gotten agencies into legal trouble
  • Cases involving LGBTQ status and religion
  • The best practices for agencies to follow

This can be a confusing area of law, so Ms. Atkinson will take breaks during the training to answer your questions. This is an event that you can’t afford to miss.

 

Price

 

Early Bird Tuition (payment required by February 7 ): $270

Standard Tuition (payment made by February 8 or later): $300

Remote working? Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.

Interested in registering more than 50 attendees? Contact FELTG for information about large group pricing.

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.

Feb
18
Thu
Webinar – Dealing with Medical Issues Under the ADA: Medical Exams and Inquiries
Feb 18 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

Dealing with medical issues under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) can be a tricky area of federal sector employment law. Join FELTG instructor and attorney at law Meghan Droste for this 90-minute webinar as she discusses the things to do – and not to do – when dealing with employee medical information.

Ms. Droste will begin by covering the basics about requests for employee medical information, and the appropriate way for agencies to collect it, and store it. Se’ll also discuss medical exams, medical documentation requests for reasonable accommodation, direct threat, and the “regarded as” provision of the ADA.

But that’s not all. She’ll also include details about:

  • Conditional offers of employment
  • Segregation of medical records
  • Confidentiality and disclosure

One mistake in requesting or disclosing medical information can lead to major liability. Be sure to join us for this important event to learn how to protect your agency. You really can’t afford to miss it!

1.5

Price

Early Bird Tuition (payment required by February 8): $270

Standard Tuition (payment made by February 9 or later): $300

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.

Feb
25
Thu
Webinar – Why, How and When to Avoid Whistleblower Reprisal
Feb 25 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Bob Woods

Program Description

We’ve been hearing an awful lot about whistleblowers and “leakers” over the last couple of years. If you’re basing your knowledge and actions on the way those high-profile whistleblower cases have worked out, you may find yourself in major trouble. Reprisal against a whistleblower is absolutely illegal, despite what you might think. Over the course of 60 minutes, Attorney and FELTG instructor Bob Woods will share everything you need to know about whistleblower reprisal – the standards, burdens of proof, and actions that constitute reprisal. Plus, he’ll discuss how to defend your agency against the inevitable whistleblower reprisal allegation.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Handle whistleblower disclosures that turn out to be false.
  • Recognize what constitutes whistleblower reprisal, and how to avoid it.
  • Discipline a whistleblower for misconduct unrelated to whistleblowing.

 

Price

Early Bird Tuition (payment required by February 15): $240

Standard Tuition (payment made by February 16 or later): $270

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 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.

Webinar – Changing Course: Understanding the Biden Executive Order on Labor Relations, Performance, Discipline, and Schedule F
Feb 25 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

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Course Description

When President Biden signed Executive Order 14003, Protecting the Federal Workforce, he revoked President Trump’s Executive Orders 13836, 13837, and 13839 and eradicated the Schedule F classification mandated by Executive Order 13957. It’s been decades since the civil service has seen so much change in just one stroke of a pen.

This far-reaching Executive Order has significant impact on labor relations official time, contract negotiation timelines, topics of bargaining, performance and disciplinary actions for non-union employees, clean record settlements, and more.

You might have questions, such as:

  • What does this mean if your CBAs were already renegotiated?
  • Is progressive discipline going to be mandatory now?
  • Do Performance Demonstration Periods have to be longer than 30 days? Can we call them PIPs again?
  • What happens if your agency already sent Schedule F lists to OPM?
  • What will become of the OPM regulations implementing EO 13839
  • What changes if permissive bargaining is now mandatory?

In this 90-minute webinar presented by FELTG President Deborah Hopkins and FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm, you will get answers to those questions and much more. EO 14003 prescribes several specific actions that agencies must take. So where do you start? Join us on February 9 to get those answers.

Like all FELTG training events, this webinar will be updated to the minute. You can’t afford to miss it.

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins

Ann Boehm

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (price per webinar, payment required by February 15): $295

Standard Tuition (price per webinar, payment made February 16 or later): $325

Remote working? Teleworker lines may be added to a main site registration for $50 per person, on a space-available basis.

Interested in registering more than 50 attendees? Contact FELTG for information about large group pricing.

Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Event held on Zoom. 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.

Mar
2
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Conducting Effective Harassment Investigations
Mar 2 – Mar 4 all-day

Download Individual Registration Form

Event Description

Investigating harassment in your Federal 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, March 2, 2021

Session 1: Investigating Harassment: Misconduct Principles

12:30 pm – 4:00 pm eastern (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, March 3, 2021

Session 2: Understanding Harassment and Planning the Investigation

12:30 pm – 4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Meghan Droste, 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 Meghan Droste 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, March 4, 2021

Session 3: Conducting the Investigation and Writing the Report

12:30 pm – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2:00 – 2:30)
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor

Course description: Attorney Katherine Atkinson 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. Atkinson 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 February 19): One Session = $340  |  Two Sessions = $650  |  Full Event = $900
  • Standard Tuition (register February 20 – March 4: One Session = $390  |  Two Sessions = $695  |  Full Event = $950
  • Rates per registrant. No split registrations permitted.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through February 19. 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 February 19.

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.

Mar
4
Thu
Webinar – Addressing Age Discrimination in the Federal Workplace
Mar 4 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

A reference to dinosaurs, a joke about retirement, or a snide “OK Boomer” – nothing wrong with that if it’s just in fun, right?  Wrong! And if you think those are the only actions that’ll lead to an age discrimination claim, you’re wrong again.

Join Attorney and FELTG Instructor Meghan Droste for a 60-minute discussion on age discrimination in the federal workplace to learn you can and can’t say or do when it relates to an employee’s age. Ms. Droste will cover everything from hiring to promotion, and hostile work environment to performance appraisals, as well as the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the DVA case Babb v. Wilkie and what it means for cases going forward. As the federal workforce ages and older employees continue to be the most susceptible to the coronavirus, this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss.

This is the first of four webinars in the Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process series.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Understand the various theories of age discrimination in the federal workplace.
  • Identify the types of conduct that give rise to age discrimination claims.
  • Know the dos and don’ts when discussing age-related topics in the workplace including retirement, OWBPA, and more.

1

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by February 23)
  • Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments by February 24)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 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.

Webinar Series – Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process
Mar 4 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructors

Katherine Atkinson, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste

Series Description

Equal Employment Opportunity claims can be a long and often complicated process, and some challenges are a bit more troublesome than others. It’s those topics we are tackling during this four-part webinar series. Why should know the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Babb v. Wilkie? What are steps you can take to avoid an age discrimination claim? What’s the difference between serious health condition and an ADA disability? And what happens if you confuse the two? How do you determine whether a job task is an essential function? How do you define a “prompt and effective” response to a complaint?

We’ll answer these questions and more over the course of four 60-minute webinars, held the first Thursday of the month. Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by February 23).
  • Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made February 24 or later).
  • Register for all four webinars by February 23 and pay only $910!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 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.

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