Calendar

FELTG Executive Director Deborah Hopkins instructing a class
Nov
16
Tue
Webinar — So You Think You Can Dismiss That EEO Claim
Nov 16 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Program Description

Katherine Atkinson DaveThere are several reasons why an EEO claim might be dismissed, but it’s not a decision that should be made too quickly or without much thought. A surprising number of agency dismissals are overturned by the EEOC each year. Don’t become another EEOC statistic.

FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson will review the lawful reasons for dismissing a claim — failure to state a claim, timeliness, collateral attack — and walk you through making that determination.

Learning objectives:

  • Identify claims that do not fall under the EEO process
  • Understand the components of timeliness in EEO claims
  • Draft legally-sufficient acceptance and dismissal documents

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by November 8)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made November 9 or later)

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.

Jan
13
Thu
Virtual Training Event – Navigating Federal Labor Relations in 2022
Jan 13 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Download Individual Registration Form

Instructors

Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky

 

Program Description

Substantial. Dramatic. Marked. Any of these adjectives would suffice in describing the 180-degree turn in the world of federal labor relations over the past year.

President Biden’s Executive Order rescinding numerous Trump Executive Orders meant immediate about-face changes in approaches to official time, bargaining topics, negotiation timeframes, and union responsibilities to pay for things they never had to pay for before. Most agencies are still grappling to adjust, meanwhile more change could be on the way if the Democratic nominee gets appointed.

In this two-hour virtual training event held from 1:00-3:00 PM eastern, Ann Boehm and Joe Schimansky will review the previous year of federal LR under the new Administration and provide a look ahead to what you can expect in 2022. When it comes to change in federal LR, these two presenters, who have a combined total of nearly 40 years working at the FLRA, have seen their fair share.

Ms. Boehm will explore the impact of EO 14003 and the Office of Personnel Management directives issued Oct. 20, 2021 that instruct Federal agencies to highlight collective bargaining rights for Federal employees. She’ll discuss the current status of the three-member Authority and the impact of having (potentially) a permanent General Counsel, a position that has sat vacant or left for someone in an acting capacity for far too long.

Mr. Schimansky will dive into the Authority’s precedent-altering decisions over the past year-and-a-half. The former Executive Director of the Federal Service Impasses Panel will not only explain what each decision means for Federal counsel, HR professionals, Labor Relations practitioners, and union representatives, but also detail which ones are most likely to be reversed under a Democratic majority.

 

Begin 2022 on the right note. Ensure that you are prepared to navigate the continued upheaval of federal labor relations. Register now for this engaging, timely, and highly useful training.

The program will be held from 1:00-3:00 PM eastern.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site (payment required by January 3)
  • Standard Tuition: $325 per site (payments made January 4 or later)
  • Rates per registrant. No split registrations permitted. 
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through January 3. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

  • Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
    • FELTG uses Zoom to broadcast this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Zoom access. If for some reason your firewall will not allow access, you’re welcome to use your personal email address to register, and to attend the sessions from your personal device.
  • Can I earn CLE credits for this class?
    • CLE applications are the responsibility of each attendee; FELTG does not apply for the credits on behalf of attendees.  If you are seeking CLE credit, attendees may use the materials provided by FELTG in submission to your state bar. Attendees may also request a certificate of completion which will contain the number of training hours attended.
  • Can I share my access link with co-workers?
    • No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
  • Can I register a teleworker?
    • This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
  • How do I receive a group rate discount?
    • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more attendees for the full event. Group discounts are available through January 3.

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
Thu
Webinar – Vaccine Mandate on Hold: What Now for Accommodation, Discipline, and Hiring?
Feb 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Program Description

As 2021 came to a close, agency leaders and supervisors worked diligently processing requests for exemptions to the vaccine mandate, and disciplining those who refused or failed to be vaccinated. Then on January 21, a Federal judge in Texas issue a nationwide injunction that brought everything to a screeching halt. But questions remain:

  • Must you overturn discipline you’ve already taken against unvaccinated employees?
  • Do employees who complied with the vaccine mandate in order to maintain their jobs have a route of grievance or appeal?
  • Do you still process reasonable accommodation requests for exemptions?
  • Can you still ask applicants for proof of vaccination status?
  • Can you still enforce other safety protocols, such as masking?
  • What happens if a higher court reinstates the mandate?
  • How do you handle hostile workplace discrimination based on vaccination status?
  • What does this mean for agencies that have established, or want to establish, their own vaccine requirements?

During this 60-minute webinar, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will provide answers to these and other questions — and she will take your questions as you try to navigate these uncertain issues, while at the same time your agency is making preparations to return employees to the physical workspace.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $285 per site (payment required by February 7)
  • Standard Tuition: $315 per site (payments made February 8 or later)

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.

Feb
24
Thu
Winning EEO Cases Through Summary Judgment
Feb 24 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Program Description

Unlike the MSPB, the EEOC allows parties to file motions for summary judgment, potentially eliminating the need for a time-consuming, expensive, and risky hearing. Yet, many agencies fail to take advantage of this opportunity. During this 60-minute webinar, FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson will explain the the importance of the Report of Investigation and thorough discovery, the benefits of motions for for summary judgment (MSJs), and what to include in the MSJ to best represent your client and case.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Identify when to file a motion for summary judgment
  • Organize for the motion
  • Draft an effective motion that withstands third-party scrutiny

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by February 11)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made February 12 or later)

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.

Mar
3
Thu
Webinar – High Times and Misdemeanors: Weed and the Workplace
Mar 3 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Program Description

Recreational marijuana is legal in over a dozen states and the District of Columbia, and its use for medical purposes is now legal in 30-plus states. What does that mean for Federal workers in those locations? Could their careers still go up in smoke for a “legal” activity? Are you required to accommodate an employee’s medically certified marijuana usage? What should you do if the Federal employee is married to someone who legally grows marijuana? Should you overlook an employee’s suspected marijuana usage because it makes him more pleasant to work with?

FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will review the laws that apply to Federal employees and share the most effective approach to managing and/or disciplining employees when their drug usage seeps into the workplace.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Craft the right charge when disciplining an employee for marijuana usage.
  • Determine when it’s appropriate to require an employee to take a drug test.
  • Handle an employee who has lied about previous marijuana usage.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by February 16)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made February 17 or later)

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.

Mar
17
Thu
Webinar – The Present and Future of the ‘Covered-by Doctrine’ in Federal Labor Relations
Mar 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Joseph Schimansky

Course Description

It’s no secret that the FLRA Chair and the two other members of the Authority rarely see eye-to-eye. That was especially evident in a late 2021 decision that revealed widely differing opinions about the future of the covered-by doctrine. In this 60-minute webinar, Joseph Schimansky will explain the covered-by doctrine: what it is, and how it’s determined, plus the details of the Authority’s disagreement, and what it means to you as a labor relations practitioner or union representative. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask your questions and get answers in real time.

With the ever-changing nature of Federal LR and the prospect of the Authority soon shifting from a Republican majority to a Democratic majority, you won’t want to miss this event.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by March 7)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made March 8 or later)

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.

Mar
24
Thu
Webinar – Damages and Remedies in Federal Sector EEO Cases
Mar 24 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Bob Woods

Course Description

A principle rule in findings of discrimination is to, as nearly as possible, place the victim in the position that person would have occupied but for the discrimination. This is easier said than done, because there’s no way to undo the harm caused by illegal employment discrimination.

Even still, damages and remedies is a topic that every EEO practitioner needs to understand, whether they’re preparing for hearing or negotiating a settlement. Bob Woods, attorney and FELTG instructor, will cover:

  • Past and future pecuniary damages
  • Non pecuniary damages
  • Compensatory damages awards, and how the level of harm is directly related to the cap on damages!

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by March 9)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made March 10 or later)

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.

May
5
Thu
Webinar – Charges and Penalties in Disciplinary Cases under the New MSPB
May 5 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Program Description

If you’ve been in the business for more than a few days, you know the importance of drafting legally-sufficient disciplinary charges, and making a reasonable penalty determination. Yet many agencies still lose cases because of poorly drafted charges. This session will cover the art and science behind drafting disciplinary charges, including the types of charges, parts of a charge, how charges are interpreted, and alternative charges. From there the discussion will cover the factors required to determine an appropriate penalty for employee misconduct. Plus, with a quorum now restored, we’ll look at how the brand-new MSPB views charges and penalties by deconstructing the first Board cases we’ve gotten in over five years.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Discuss the MSPB and Federal Circuit lead cases involving penalty determination.
  • Defend the penalty using the Douglas Factors – or related penalty defense factors.
  • Draft effective proposal and decision letters.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by April 20)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made April 21 or later)

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.

May
19
Thu
Webinar – The Changing Nature of Hostile Work Environment Claims
May 19 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Course Description

Unfortunately, the Federal workplace is not immune to reprehensible harassing behavior. As the pandemic raged and employees remained home, many thought that hostile work environment incidents would wane, yet the targets of hostile work environment merely expanded and changed. More harassment was aimed at Asian American and Pacific Islanders and LGBTQ employees, and harassment took more virtual forms including email and social media. Katherine Atkinson will discuss in clear terms the law on hostile work environment claims, amid the changing nature of the harassing behavior.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Determine when an agency could be held liable for hostile work environment.
  • Raise awareness to prevent harassment from taking place.
  • Take prompt and effective corrective action when harassment is alleged.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by May 4)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made May 5 or later)

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.

Jun
7
Tue
Webinar – Got Nexus? Accountability for Off-duty Conduct
Jun 7 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Bob Woods

Course Description

The borderline between on-duty and off-duty became blurred as of late with the omnipresence of social and media and many employees working from home. Yet, one thing has remained clear and constant: If you’re going to discipline someone for what they do on their own time, you need to show a nexus between the employee’s actions and their Federal job. FELTG Instructor Robert Woods will help you untangle your most challenging off-duty misconduct scenarios and illustrate the situations where the conduct is so egregious as to create a rebuttable presumption of nexus.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Demonstrate nexus between the off-duty conduct and the efficiency of the service.
  • Understand how Douglas Factor Eight: Notoriety and Agency Reputation can create nexus.
  • Select an effective and defensible penalty for off-duty conduct.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by May 27)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made May 28 or later)

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.

Sep
8
Thu
Webinar – The Why, When, and How of Whistleblower Reprisal Under the New MSPB
Sep 8 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Bob Woods

Course Description

The new MSPB quorum is working its way through the vast backlog of cases, and it has become clear that they’ve made whistleblower cases a priority.  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, and discuss the recent MSPB decisions.

Mr. Woods will also provide BONUS content — synopses of all of the new MSPB’s whistleblower decisions up to this point.

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: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by August 29)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made August 30 or later)

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.

Sep
29
Thu
Webinar – The Role of the Douglas Factors in Arbitration
Sep 29 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Course Description

When faced with a case involving appealable adverse actions, an arbitrator must apply the same substantive standards as the Merit Systems Protection Board. The arbitrator must decide whether discipline was appropriate, and also assess whether the agency considered the relevant factors in determining the penalty. Just like an MSPB judge, the arbitrator has the authority to mitigate the penalty if it is outside the bounds of reasonableness. In this 60-minute webinar, Joe Schimansky will explain how the Douglas Factors came about and provide a detailed look at the role those factors play in the arbitration process.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Identify all 12 Douglas Factors.
  • Determine whether the Douglas Factors have been appropriately considered.
  • Explain how the factors apply in the circumstances of a particular case, and how to educate the arbitrator who may be unfamiliar with the Douglas framework.

Instructor

Joseph Schimansky

Date and Time

Thursday, September 29, 2:00 – 3:00 ET

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by September 19)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made September 20 or later)

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.

Oct
6
Thu
Webinar – Feds Gone AWOL: Understanding the Charge and Applying it Correctly
Oct 6 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Program Description

Your agency has ordered employees to return to the physical workplace, and one of your employees hasn’t shown up for work for three days straight.  He hasn’t contacted his supervisor either.  Is the best way to discipline the employee to charge him with AWOL?  What if he comes up with a reasonable explanation for his absence?  Can you deny a leave request when an employee is AWOL?

In this 60-minute presentation, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will deconstruct the mystery of Absence Without Leave and offer strategies for agencies to take when an employee doesn’t show up for work, plus explain and other scenarios where AWOL applies.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Understand the elements of the charge of Absent Without Leave or Unauthorized Absence
  • Determine reasonable penalties when AWOL is charged
  • Identify situations where a perceived AWOL might be another type of absence

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by September 26)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made September 27 or later)

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.

Oct
27
Thu
Webinar – High Times and Misdemeanors: Weed and the Workplace
Oct 27 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Program Description

President Biden recently issued a pardon for people convicted of simple possession of marijuana. Recreational marijuana is legal in over a dozen states and the District of Columbia, and its use for medical purposes is now legal in 30-plus states. What does that mean for Federal workers in those locations? Could their careers still go up in smoke for a “legal” activity? Are you required to accommodate an employee’s medically certified marijuana usage? What should you do if the Federal employee is married to someone who legally grows marijuana? Should you overlook an employee’s suspected marijuana usage because it makes him more pleasant to work with?

FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will review the laws that apply to Federal employees and share the most effective approach to managing and/or disciplining employees when their drug usage seeps into the workplace.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Craft the right charge when disciplining an employee for marijuana usage.
  • Determine when it’s appropriate to require an employee to take a drug test.
  • Handle an employee who has lied about previous marijuana usage.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by October 12)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made October 13 or later)

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.

Feb
2
Thu
Webinar – What Happens Now at the FLRA?
Feb 2 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form Here

Program Description

As the new year turned, former FLRA Chair Ernest DuBester’s holdover term ended, leaving just two Authority members — Democrat Susan Tsui Grundmann (the new Chair) and Colleen Duffy Kiko (a former FLRA Chair). No one has yet been nominated. There is also no nominee yet for General Counsel, putting the Acting GC on borrowed time.

How will this “ideological deadlock,” as one report coined it, impact the FLRA’s rulings — or will it? And what happens if there is no one serving as General Counsel?

In this 60-minute webinar, FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm will share guidance on how you can navigate this new situation at the FLRA, discuss where to put your focus, and explain what happens when the Authority is without a General Counsel.

Date and Time

Thursday, February 2, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Instructor

Ann Boehm

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by January 23)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made after January 24)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 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.

Mar
2
Thu
Webinar – The New MSPB and Roller-Coaster Employees: Managing Up-and-Down Performance
Mar 2 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Program Description

As employees return en masse to the physical workplace and attempt to re-adjust themselves to their new surroundings, it’s highly likely that you’ll see some drops in performance – especially as employees struggle to acclimate to the hybrid work format. Let’s say you put the employee on a performance demonstration period and he does well enough to stay in his position. But weeks after the PIP, ODAP, DP – or whatever your agency calls it – his performance again becomes unacceptable.

What do you do?

And what has the new MSPB said about this?

Although performance swings are expected to recur more often in the next several months, this is not a new challenge — and it doesn’t appear to be one likely to go away. You can’t afford to ignore this. Attorney Bob Woods will provide you step-by-step guidance on effectively and efficiently handling wide swings in performance, and he’ll share the most recent MSPB decisions.

Date and Time

Thursday, March 2, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET.

Instructor

Bob Woods

Registration

Download Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by February 21)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made February 22 or later)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 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.

Apr
6
Thu
Webinar – Dealing with Medical Issues in Misconduct Cases
Apr 6 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Program Description

Few situations draw as much angst among supervisors as when they have an employee with a physical or mental impairment who is failing to meet conduct standards. With the rise in mental health diagnoses, substance abuse disorders and the physical challenges that come with an aging workforce, Federal supervisors can expect more of these gut-wrenching situations.

Over the course of 60 minutes, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will walk you through a step-by-step process for effectively managing misconduct for employees who have medical issues.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Determine whether disability should be a mitigating factor in discipline.
  • Appropriately charge Absence Without Leave.
  • Determine the best course of action for an employee who is unable to come to work because of a medical issue.

Date and Time

Thursday, April 6, 2023, 100 – 2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by March 27)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made after March 28)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 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.

May
23
Tue
Webinar – The New MSPB and Whistleblower Reprisal
May 23 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Course Description

Since the MSPB finally had its quorum restored, it has diligently been tackling the backlog of PFRs using a hybrid approach on case processing. But one thing has become crystal clear about the MSPB’s approach — whistleblower cases are a priority.

Join Attorney at Law Bob Woods for an in-depth look at how the new MSPB has ruled on whistleblower cases since the Board was sworn in. In addition, Mr. Woods will share everything else 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 a 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.

Date and Time

Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET.

Instructor

Bob Woods

Registration

Download Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site (payment required by May 11)
  • Standard Tuition: $325 per site (payments made May 12 or later)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 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.

Oct
26
Thu
Webinar – Dealing with Medical Issues in Misconduct Cases
Oct 26 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Program Description

Few situations draw as much angst among supervisors as when they have an employee with a physical or mental impairment who is failing to meet conduct standards. With the rise in mental health diagnoses, substance abuse disorders and the physical challenges that come with an aging workforce, Federal supervisors can expect more of these gut-wrenching situations.

Over the course of 60 minutes, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will walk you through a step-by-step process for effectively managing misconduct for employees who have medical issues.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Determine whether disability should be a mitigating factor in discipline.
  • Appropriately charge Absence Without Leave.
  • Determine the best course of action for an employee who is unable to come to work because of a medical issue.

Date and Time

Thursday, October 26, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by October 11)
  • Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made after October 12)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 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.

Feb
1
Thu
Webinar – Feds Gone AWOL: What to Do When Employees Don’t Show Up
Feb 1 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Course Description

Your agency has ordered some employees to return to the physical workplace, and one of them hasn’t shown up for work for three days straight. He hasn’t contacted his supervisor either. Is the best way to discipline the employee to charge him with AWOL?  What if he comes up with a reasonable explanation for his absence?  Can you deny a leave request when an employee was AWOL?

When it comes to AWOL, there are a lot of questions. And a lot of misunderstandings. For example: Considering the following statements:

  • You can’t discipline an employee for AWOL unless it has reached a certain number of days.
  • Employees can’t be removed for AWOL.
  • You can’t be charged AWOL for time that you were physically present in the office.

None of these statements are true; they are AWOL myths.

In this 60-minute presentation, FELTG President Deborah J. Hopkins will deconstruct the mystery of Absence Without Leave (and its companion charge, Unauthorized Absence), shatter the aforementioned myths, and offer strategies for agencies to take when an employee doesn’t show up for work.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Understand the elements of the charges Absent Without Leave and Unauthorized Absence
  • Determine reasonable penalties when AWOL is charged
  • Identify situations where a perceived AWOL might be another type of absence

Date and Time

Thursday, February 1, 1 -2 pm ET

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by January 2): $145
  • Standard Tuition (register January 3 or later): $195
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through January 2. Contact FELTG.

 

Event FAQs

  • Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
    • FELTG uses Zoom to broadcast this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Zoom access. If for some reason your firewall will not allow access, you’re welcome to use your personal email address to register, and to attend the sessions from your personal device.
  • Can I earn CLE credits for this class?
    • CLE applications are the responsibility of each attendee; FELTG does not apply for the credits on behalf of attendees.  If you are seeking CLE credit, attendees may use the materials provided by FELTG in submission to your state bar. Attendees may also request a certificate of completion which will contain the number of training hours attended.
  • Can I share my access link with co-workers?
    • No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
  • Can I register a teleworker?
    • This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
  • How do I receive a group rate discount?
    • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through January 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.

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