Attention, all federal supervisors (and those who advise them): this is a program you can’t afford to miss. This week covers a range of topics including employee performance and conduct, FMLA and other leave scenarios, EEO and disability discrimination, workplace management and leadership skills, and supervising unionized employees.
As a bonus, supervisors who complete this training meet OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
The program runs 8:30 – 4:00 each day.
Instructors
William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga.
Daily Agenda:
Monday
Uncivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct: Fundamentals of disciplinary actions and unacceptable performance actions; establishing rules of conduct; proving misconduct; selecting a defensible penalty; providing due process via agency discipline procedures; writing valid performance standards; implement a Performance Improvement Plan; removal for unacceptable performance in 31 days.
Tuesday
The Manager’s Role in EEO: The role of EEO in the federal government; defining protected categories: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability and reprisal; what to do if you’re a Responding Management Official in a complaint; EEO witness tips.
Wednesday
Essential Management Skills for Federal Supervisors: Communicating effectively with employees; managing a multigenerational workforce; handling difficult employees; managing a mobile workforce; mentorship; honing your presentation skills; conducting effective meetings.
Thursday
Effectively Managing Employee Leave Issues: Annual leave; sick leave; Leave Without Pay; FMLA; medical certification requirements; substitution of paid leave; leave stacking.
Friday
Supervising in a Unionized Environment: What every supervisor should know about federal labor unions; collective bargaining agreements; official time; LR meetings; an overview of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute; fundamental employee, union, and management rights; unfair labor practices; controlling official time; handling information requests.
Pricing
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
- 5 days = $2075
- 4 days = $1705
- 3 days = $1315
- 2 days = $935
- 1 day = $515
Registered participants will receive a copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant, fourth edition (pending publication date).
This week focuses on administrative investigations in the federal workplace, with a focus on investigating employee misconduct. 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, 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.
Sessions run from 8:30 – 4:00 each day.
This program fulfills the requirements for 32-hour EEO Investigator training and 8-hour annual EEO investigator refresher training.
Instructors
William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins, Ricky Rowe
Daily Agenda
Monday
Administrative Investigations: The Substantive Basis: Why investigate; discipline law and elements; understanding charges of misconduct; collecting penalty evidence; witness rights; union representation.
Tuesday
Conducting the Investigation, Part I: Evidentiary principles; purpose of investigation; preparing for the investigation; role of the investigator; planning the investigation.
Wednesday
Conducting the Investigation, Part II: Setting up the room; question types and techniques; conducting the interview; handling difficult witnesses; assessing credibility/lies/hearing what isn’t said; body language; interviewing exercise.
Thursday
Conducting the Investigation, Part III: Gathering other evidence; technology and investigations; high profile case considerations; when misconduct and EEO intersect; testifying at an administrative hearing; rules for being an effective witness.
Friday
Writing the Investigative Report: Organizing for the report; establishing the chronology; report writing style; report writing conventions; report organization.
Pricing
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
- 5 days = $2120
- 4 days = $1740
- 3 days = $1340
- 2 days = $950
- 1 day = $520
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.
FELTG is here to make federal supervisors’ 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 a non-performing employee working for you now, we show you how you can remove that employee from your workplace in 31 days, among many other things. Join us for this brand-new three-day seminar and come away with the tools you need to hold your employees accountable.
The program runs 8:30 – 4:00 each day and meets OPM’s mandatory training requirements for federal supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
Instructors
William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins
Daily Agenda:
Tuesday
Accountability for Conduct and Performance, Part I: Accountability and supervisory authority; discipline and misconduct theory and practice; penalty defense and due process; discipline procedures and appeals; psychology of performance appraisal; performance-based removal procedures.
Wednesday
Accountability for Conduct and Performance, Part II: Completing a performance action; team workshop; mentoring programs; handling the absent employee; union considerations; understanding the federal supervisor’s personal liability in employment actions.
Thursday
Defending Against Discrimination Complaints: The Supervisor’s Role: The role of EEO in the federal government; defining protected categories: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, genetic information and reprisal; theories of discrimination; agency defenses; what to do if you’re a Responding Management Official in a complaint; what happens if you’re called as an EEO witness.
Pricing
- 3 days = $1350
- 2 days = $960
- 1 day = $530
Seminar registration includes a copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, 4th ed., by Wiley and Hopkins
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
As Federal EEO practitioners know, FAD is short for Final Agency Decision. But the word “Final” is often misleading. A FAD is appealable, by the complainant, to the EEOC. And many employees will take advantage of that opportunity to appeal the agency’s decision.
EEOC decisions are littered with reversals of agency’s FADs finding no discrimination. An employee has that right to appeal and you cannot interfere with that. However, you can ensure that your FADs are written in a way that withstands scrutiny by the EEOC, and it starts with knowing and understanding discrimination law, as applied to the Federal workplace.
Over two half-days, Attorney Katherine Atkinson will present you with everything you need to know to write an effective FAD, including identifying and avoiding the pitfalls that often lead to the EEOC reversals.
This program runs from 12:30 – 4:00 eastern each day, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 eastern.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Instructor
Agenda
Monday, August 23
Applying Theories of Discrimination: EEO Law Overview; Intentional Discrimination; Disparate Impact; Hostile Work Environment; Reasonable Accommodation; Retaliation; overlapping forms of discrimination.
Tuesday, August 24
Writing the Report: Timeliness Issues; Effective Legal Writing: structure and language; FAD Legal Sufficiency; deconstruction exercise.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $370 per session, $700 for both sessions (register by August 6).
- Standard Tuition: $400 per session, $750 for both sessions (register August 7-24).
- Rates per registrant. No split registrations permitted.
- Want to register a group? Contact FELTG.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG will use Zoom for 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.
- What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
- FELTG plans to offer this live event periodically, so check our calendar for upcoming dates.
- 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?
- If an agency wishes to register 10 or more attendees for the full event, a group discount will be applied if all registrations are received and paid for together. Group discount deadline is August 6.
- 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.
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.