Calendar

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Instructors

J. Bruce Stewart

Description

What do rats addicted to heroin, Rosa Parks, a third-grade school teacher, a prize winning stage director, Miles Davis, and a little girl who has a form of autism called Williams Syndrome have in common? They have figured out the code to great performance.  And that code? It is Inclusive Mentality.

In this interactive and highly engaging presentation, Dr. Stewart, former Deputy Director for Diversity and Inclusion for the Office of Personnel Management and creator of OPM’s New IQ, will explain what the inclusive mentality code is and how it can be unlocked to unleash the full potential of diverse teams, in line with the President’s DEIA mandates.

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

• Develop an inclusive mentality for team and organizational success.
• Explain why diversity alone or inclusion alone is not the answer but instead a big part of the problem.
• Make others around you better (and explain why it’s the key 21st Century skill).

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition: $295 (payment required by October 24)
• Standard Tuition: $325 (payments made October 25 or later)
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available until October 24. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

• Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
  • FELTG uses 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. 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.
• What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
  • FELTG also 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?
  • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available until October 24.

Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Bob Woods

Program Description

The selection and promotion process is an emotional one, especially for those who aren’t selected. If you’re a federal EEO practitioner, chances are you’ve had a case where an employee alleges that she was not selected or promoted because of something other than job qualifications – race, sex, age, disability, or another protected class.

Although these cases are common, they can present agency reps with major challenges from properly defining the claim to collecting the right information during the investigation, and, eventually, to presenting evidence at the hearing or in a motion for summary judgment.

FELTG instructor Bob Woods will guides you through the important considerations necessary to defend your selections and promotions. He will begin by covering the basic principles of selection cases, and will take you through all the important categories of selection criteria.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Ensure that your selection criteria is valid and subjective.
• Explain the importance of selection records.
• Defend your selection cases before the EEOC or an arbitrator.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by November 1)
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made November 2 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.

Download Individual Registration Form

Class Description

Federal employees are making their way back to the physical workplace. There is a lot to think through as you prepare for the en masse return, and one of those considerations should most definitely be reasonable accommodation.

Date and Time

Thursday, November 17, 2022, 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition: $295 (payment required by November 2)
• Standard Tuition: $325 (payments made November 3 or later)
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available until November 2. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

• Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
  • FELTG uses 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. 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.
• What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
  • FELTG also 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?
  • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available until 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.

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.

Class Description

For all intents and purposes, the pandemic is over, yet it continues to pose a significant challenge to federal agencies, particularly in the area of reasonable accommodation. Different variations of COVID are still floating around. COVID continues to keep many people from returning to the physical workplace. And the long-term impacts of COVID are now being felt.

Join FELTG Instructor and Attorney at Law Katherine Atkinson for this two-hour class to ensure you are prepared for this new world of reasonable accommodation.

Employee needs, physical conditions, and medication adjustments evolve over extended periods. Once successful accommodations may no longer be effective. You must have a process in place to properly re-evaluate the effectiveness of employees’ accommodations.

Date and Time

Thursday, February 16, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition: $295 (payment required by February 2)
• Standard Tuition: $325 (payments made February 3 or later)
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available until February 2. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

• Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
  • FELTG uses 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. 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.
• What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
  • FELTG also 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?
  • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available until February 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.

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.

Course Description

Antisemitism is never acceptable. However, recent remarks by celebrities, athletes, and news networks have made antisemitism seem more commonplace, in all facets of life, including the workplace. Title VII makes it illegal to discriminate against someone based on, among other things, religion. However, this is one of the protected categories least understood.

Date and Time

Thursday, March 9, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

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

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Shana Palmieri

Program Description

The workforce is stressed out.

More than 40 percent of employees are feeling “highly stressed,” according to one recent report. In the workplace, stress leads to disengagement, conflict, and large drops in productivity.

It’s no wonder that employers, including some Federal agencies, are putting a high priority on employee mental well-being.

In this 60-minute webinar, Shana Palmieri, LCSW will supply your agency with the tools of knowledge, awareness, and interventions to support a healthy, successful and productive workforce.

Those who attend this webinar will learn how to:

• Understand the impact of stress on an employee’s health and work performance
• Develop effective strategies for coping with stress and improving focus
• Create an agency culture that is supportive, inclusive and accepting of employees’ differences
• Manage difficult personalities in the workplace

Note: This class focuses on the practical and clinical side of managing employees who have experienced stress rather than the legal side.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by March 13)
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made March 14 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.

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.

Program Description

One of the most important, yet often forgotten, parts of the reasonable accommodation process is the follow up, or what FELTG calls the “check in.” Sometimes, accommodations are no longer effective, no longer needed – or, perhaps, a more effective accommodation has become available. It’s more important than ever for agencies to be aware of the benefits and pitfalls of revisiting existing accommodations.

And as employees start returning to the physical workplace, some after more than three years of remote work, now may be the time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of employees’ reasonable accommodations. FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, will explain why this is important, how to go about ensuring you find the right accommodation, and how to build the re-evaluation of an employee’s accommodation into a regular seamless process. She’ll also discuss scenarios where agencies shouldn’t change an existing accommodation.

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

• Restart the interactive process when necessary.
• Make an appropriate, individualized reasonable accommodation determination.
• Determine if telework is an effective accommodation.

Date and Time

Thursday, April 13, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Registration Form

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by April 3)
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made April 4 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.

Program Description

Preparing performance narratives can be tough. It’s a lot of writing, sometimes it’s hard to make the documentation you have fit what was written in the performance plan, and sometimes you know there’s going to be a fight about what you put down on that form. In certain instances, it’s the employee who thinks the rating should be higher. Other times, it’s a reviewer who doesn’t necessarily see your employee’s performance at the same level as you do. And, in some agencies, there are review panels that may be scouring your documentation.

FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga provides guidance to make preparing performance narratives less tough – and more effective.

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

• Understand the basic principles of performance plans.
• Effectively assign rating levels.
• Recognize problems with elements and standards.

Date and Time

Thursday, May 4, 2023, 1:00 -2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Barbara Haga

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by April 24, 2023)
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made after April 25, 2023)

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.

Course Description

When a complaint is filed with your agency’s EEO office, it’s possible that something very wrong has happened. Yet, how agency officials respond to that complaint could go a long way toward not only resolving the complaint, but ensuring that you don’t make matters even worse than they are.

Too often, a supervisor or agency official’s response to an EEO complaint leads to a claim of reprisal. And more often than anyone should expect, that reprisal claim survives, even when it’s found that the original complaint’s discrimination allegations had no merit. Reprisal claims make up the bulk of EEO complaints, and it could get worse in the months ahead. The deep politicization of COVID-19 and pandemic fatigue have seeped into the workplace, fueling an increase in COVID-related reprisal.

Attorney Bob Woods will explain the statutory basis for EEO reprisal, identify the pitfalls that lead to successful claims, and provide numerous examples from EEOC case law.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Identify the elements of a valid reprisal claim.
• Understand why supervisors retaliate, and how to get them to stop.
• Recognize per se reprisal claims.

Date and Time

Thursday, May 18, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Bob Woods

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

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

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.

Program Description

It’s been more than 40 years since we were all introduced to those 12 factors identified in the MSPB’s landmark Douglas decision, the most cited case in Federal employment law. But you don’t have to go back to the Reagan Administration to find examples of agencies’ misunderstanding and/or misapplying those factors.

A review of recent decisions by the new MSPB shows a lot of confusion about how to appropriately determine a penalty – and clarity from the Board about their view on Douglas.

Attorney Ann Boehm will share recent case law, highlighting how agencies correctly use the Douglas factors and also how they have been misapplied. She will answer all your Douglas questions, such as: Do the factors go in the proposal or the decision? What do OPM’s new regs say about the Douglas factors? Considering the VA Accountability Act, does the VA still have to do Douglas factors?

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

• Understand the Douglas principles.
• Explain when and how to use each factor.
• Avoid the too-common Douglas mistakes that sink your case.

Date and Time

Thursday, June 1, 2023, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

Instructor

Ann Boehm

Registration

Download Registration Form Here

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by May 22)
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made May 23 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.

Course Description

Date and Time

Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition: $295 (payment required by May 30)
• Standard Tuition: $325 (payments made May 31 or later)
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available until May 30. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

• Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
  • FELTG uses 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. 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.
• What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
  • FELTG also 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?
  • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available until May 30.

Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Course Description

 1

The reasonable accommodation process starts with a request from an employee or applicant. However, that request does not need to be in writing or be formalized in any certain way. In fact, an agency cannot require that a request for reasonable accommodation even include the words “ADA,” “request,” or even “reasonable accommodation.”

Heck, the request doesn’t even have to come from the employee.

If a employee makes a reference to a need for an adjustment or change and it’s related to a medical condition, then you have a request for reasonable accommodation.

During this training, you’ll receive guidance on how to “spot” a reasonable accommodation request, discuss the importance of having a reasonable accommodation policy, and provide examples of each.

This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by July 10).
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made July 11 or later).
• Register for all five webinars in the series by July 10 and pay only $1295!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 per teleworker, per webinar, 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.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Course Description

 1

Agencies must accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would be an undue hardship. But what constitutes “undue hardship?” It’s a term of art that’s not so easily defined. And since it’s the only “statutory limitation on an employer’s obligation to provide reasonable accommodation,” the undue hardship claim is one that’s often misunderstood and misused.

This presentation will provide a thorough review of the various factors involved in making an undue hardship determination, as well as a review of case examples that show when the determination was made correctly and, more importantly, when it wasn’t.

This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by July 10).
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made July 11 or later).
• Register for all five webinars in the series by July 10 and pay only $1295!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 per teleworker, per webinar, 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.

Course Description

Are you curious about how our perceptions of race have been rewired over time? Do you want to explore the negative associations with race and how they perpetuate racial biases? This class is not about blame and shame, it’s about gaining a deeper understanding of how demographic changes in America have impacted our understanding of race. J. Bruce Stewart will delve into the myths of meritocracy, character, and intelligence that have perpetuated racial biases. When racial biases inform policies and practices, it results in unequal treatment and creates a system where some individuals or groups are favored over others. Join us to discover how you can move your agency towards a more inclusive and equitable future.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Identify the negative associations that perpetuate racial myths and shape policies and practices.
• Gain insight into the power of networks and stories in challenging the race myth and how to shift towards a more inclusive future.
• Develop strategies and tactics to dismantle racial bias in their own communities and confront their own biases.

This session meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.

This session is a part of FELTG’s weeklong virtual training event Federal Workplace 2023: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends. Visit here for more information on the full event.

Date and Time

August 2, 2023, 1 – 4:30 pm ET

Instructor

J. Bruce Stewart

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

• Early Bird Tuition (register by July 6): $395
• Standard Tuition (register July 7 or later): $495
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through July 6. Contact FELTG. REGISTER NOW.

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 July 6.

Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah J. Hopkins

Course Description

 1

Congratulations, you’ve gone through the interactive process and come up with a reasonable accommodation that both you and the employee think will be effective.

But wait. It’s not over yet.

Over time, accommodations may lose their effectiveness. They may no longer be needed. Or, perhaps, a more effective accommodation has become available. One of the most important, yet often forgotten, parts of the reasonable accommodation process is the follow up, or what FELTG calls the “check-in.” It’s more important than ever for agencies to be aware of the benefits and pitfalls of revisiting existing accommodations.

And as employees start returning to the physical workplace, some after more than three years of remote work, now may be the time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of employees’ reasonable accommodations. In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Go about ensuring you find the right accommodation.
• Build the re-evaluation of an employee’s accommodation into a regular seamless process.
• Recognize situations when an existing accommodation shouldn’t change.

This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by July 10).
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made July 11 or later).
• Register for all five webinars in the series by July 10 and pay only $1295!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 per teleworker, per webinar, 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.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Ricky Rowe

Course Description

 1

Before the pandemic, telework was one of the the most commonly requested accommodations for individuals with physical and mental disabilities.

After the success of pandemic-induced remote work, agencies are receiving more reasonable accommodation requests for telework, especially as employees are directed to return to the physical workplace. If someone has successfully teleworked already and is a qualified individual with a disability, must you grant the requested accommodation?

Join us for a discussion on this timely topic during the fourth event in our Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace in 2023 webinar series. This course will detail the required three-step process for agencies to be compliant when dealing with reasonable accommodation requests.

From there, we’ll cover: What to do if telework would be an effective accommodation – but something else would work too.

• Who gets to choose the accommodation?
• What the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute.
• When an agency can legally deny telework as an accommodation.

Often times the best way to learn is by looking at real-life case studies, so the session will include a discussion on recent federal cases – won and lost – involving telework requests as reasonable accommodation. Because of the cost incurred when handling a reasonable accommodation complaint, your agency EEO staff, reasonable accommodation coordinators, disability coordinators, HR staff and supervisors truly cannot afford to miss this event.

This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by July 10).
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made July 11 or later).
• Register for all five webinars in the series by July 10 and pay only $1295!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 per teleworker, per webinar, 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.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Bob Woods

Course Description

1

Almost everyone knows that individuals with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodation – but did you know that federal employees are also entitled to reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs and practices? And that the law is different? And that the Supreme Court has recently weighed in on this subject?

It’s important you know the distinctions and understand the legal ramifications. Join FELTG for the final session in our five-part Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace in 2023 webinar series.

After a review of the relevant law and regulations law that pertain to religious accommodation, FELTG Instructor Bob Woods will discuss:

• What religions qualify for accommodation.
• The definition of “undue hardship” and case examples.
• The most common accommodations for religion.
• Issues related to dress code and grooming.
• What to do when employees request to be excused from performing certain job tasks because of religious reasons.

Whether you’re an attorney, EEO program specialist, HR specialist or manager, you’ll find everything you need to know about religious accommodations, including the impact of new Supreme Court decision, in this webinar.

Price

• Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by July 10).
• Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made July 11 or later).
• Register for all five webinars in the series by July 10 and pay only $1295!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $60 per teleworker, per webinar, 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.

Course Description

Date and Time

Thursday, September 7, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition: $295 (payment required by August 23)
• Standard Tuition: $325 (payments made August 24 or later)
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available until August 23. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

• Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
  • FELTG uses 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. 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.
• What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
  • FELTG also 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?
  • Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available until August 23.

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.

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.

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.

Course Description

Congratulations, you’ve gone through the interactive process and come up with a reasonable accommodation that both you and the employee think will be effective.

But wait. It’s not over yet.

Over time, accommodations may lose their effectiveness. They may no longer be needed. The nature of the work might change. Or, perhaps, a more effective accommodation has become available. One of the most important, yet often forgotten, parts of the reasonable accommodation process is the follow up, or what FELTG calls the “check-in.” It’s more important than ever for agencies to be aware of the benefits and pitfalls of revisiting existing accommodations.

And as employees have begun returning to the physical workplace at least a few days a month, now may be the time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of employees’ reasonable accommodations.

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

• Restart the interactive process when necessary
• Make an appropriate, individualized reasonable accommodation determination
• Determine if telework is an effective accommodation

Date and Time

Thursday, March 14, 2024, 1 – 2 pm ET

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition (register by February 13): $145
• Standard Tuition (register February 14 or later): $195
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through February 13. 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 February 13. 

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.

Course Description

It’s one of the situations most managers would most like to avoid — an employee who doesn’t show up for work. As agencies order some employees to return to the physical workplace, the chances an employee will not show up and not provide notice has increased. 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? Part of the Managing the Federal Workplace in 2024: Dos and Don’ts for Supervisors webinar series, this class will give you all of the tools and knowledge you need to successfully and confidently respond when employees fail to follow leave procedures.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Hold employees accountable when they don’t show up for work.
• Properly use an AWOL charge.
• Expand knowledge of leave procedures.

Date and Time

April 9, 2024; 1 – 2 pm ET

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

• Early Bird Tuition (register by March 8): $145
• Standard Tuition (register March 9 or later): $195
• Rates per registrant.
• Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through March 8. 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 March 8. 

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.