Calendar

FELTG Executive Director Deborah Hopkins instructing a class
Feb
23
Tue
Advanced Employee Relations – Dallas, TX @ Downtown Crowne Plaza
Feb 23 – Feb 25 all-day

Download Registration Form

As an Employee Relations Specialist, you have a challenging job –- and once you know the basics, you realize there is always more to learn. So, FELTG is happy to present Advanced Employee Relations, a three-day seminar focused on immersing you in the employee relations topics you need most.

Held in Dallas, TX in February 2016, you’ll receive in-depth training on topics including leave, performance, misconduct and more. Plus, hands-on workshops will allow you to leave with the tools you’ll need to succeed.

Instructor

Barbara Haga.

Daily Agenda:

Tuesday

Leave and Attendance: Administering leave, with particular emphasis on sick leave, LWOP, and FMLA. Detailed review of sick leave provisions including authorized purposes for use of sick leave, limitations on use of sick leave for family care and bereavement, eligibility to use leave for care, notice requirements, acceptable documentation. Management actions to control use of leave and abuse of sick leave. Detailed review of FMLA provisions including eligibility to invoke FMLA, entitlement, coverage of family members, administration and notice requirements. Aacceptable medical documentation under FMLA, definition of serious health condition. Substitution of paid leave. Discipline tied to FMLA. LWOP – when LWOP is mandatory, limits on granting LWOP, employee status while on extended LWOP. Other topics –issues related to annual leave and leave transfer, other leave entitlements.

Wednesday

Performance Management: Managing performance from system establishment to conducting annual appraisals to taking actions linked to performance. GEAR initiative and other efforts focused on modifying Federal performance management system. Requirements for performance plans, including design of agency systems, rating schemes, and procedures for conducting appraisals. Revised DOD performance system to be implemented in 2016. Linkage between appraisal and other personnel management decisions, including reduction-in-force and within-grade increases. Writing effective and measurable performance criteria that will withstand third-party review, including a workshop where participants will do an in-depth review of performance plans.

Requirements for successful performance-based actions – from drafting a PIP notice that will withstand scrutiny to conducting a bona fide PIP to ensuring that due process is met in effecting an action on unacceptable performance.

Thursday

Misconduct and other Related Issues Implementation of a successful disciplinary program – delegation of authority, role of advisors, warnings and cautions, use of administrative leave. Nexus. Dealing with comparators in determining a penalty. Involuntary actions – resignations and retirements. Ordering and Offering medical examinations. Specific disciplinary situations: handling situations when an employee is unable to perform including excessive leave, disability retirement, separation disability; conduct unbecoming; misuse and technology-related misconduct; failure to meet conditions of employment

Pricing

  • 3 days = $1290
  • 2 days = $910
  • 1 day = $490
Jun
27
Mon
Managing Federal Employee Accountability – New Orleans
Jun 27 – Jul 1 all-day

THIS PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT! Please consider attending Managing Federal Employee Accountability in Honolulu, HI August 1-5 or in San Francisco December 5-9.

Managing employee accountability for performance and conduct is critical to any agency’s success. It is also important to understand – and effectively supervise matters involving  – supervision of union employees, managing leave scenarios, handling EEO issues and successfully communicating with a diverse workforce.

This FELTG seminar covers all of the most important topics federal supervisors – and those who advise them – need to know about the relevant law, policy, strategy and best practices related to HR skills in the government workforce.

Instructors

William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins

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

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.

Wednesday

Handling Employee Leave Issues: An overview of leave types and entitlements; annual leave; sick leave; AWOL and Leave Without Pay; FMLA crash course; medical certification requirements; substitution of paid leave; handling complicated leave issues.

Thursday

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.

Friday

Essential Management and Communication Skills: Communicating effectively with employees; identifying your leadership style; managing a multigenerational workforce; handling difficult employees; managing a mobile workforce; mentorship.

As an added incentive, supervisors who attend Monday and Friday sessions will receive a special certificate verifying participation in OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors, found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).

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

* Cost includes a copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct (3rd ed.), by William Wiley

Nearby hotel (walking distance): Towne Place Suites New Orleans Metairie

Jun
21
Wed
Managing Leave, Attendance and Performance Issues – Dallas, TX @ Downtown Crowne Plaza
Jun 21 – Jun 22 all-day

Download Registration Form

Employee leave abuse and performance issues can be so frustrating for federal supervisors.

It’s essential for supervisors to understand the laws, regulations, policies and procedures associated with employee leave and attendance issues in the federal workplace. There are many leave categories, and different procedures and entitlements that come along with each. Supervisors also need to understand how to handle leave abuse and to use appropriate tools to correct employee behavior, while keeping in mind special cases involving reasonable accommodation, excessive absence and medical inability to perform.

Often, performance issues go right along with attendance issues: performance appraisals, end of cycle ratings on tough-to-track elements; discussing performance problems with employees; dealing with generic performance plans, and taking defensible performance-based actions.

FELTG’s own Barbara Haga will take the mystery out of how the leave and performance systems are supposed to work in the federal government in this brand-new two-day program. Ms Haga has over 30 years of experience working with HR on leave issues and performance appraisal systems, so you won’t want to miss the chance to attend this event.

Take a look at the agenda below.

Instructor

Barbara Haga

Daily Agenda:

Wednesday

Understanding Leave and Workplace Absences: Legal, regulatory, and procedural requirements related to annual leave, sick leave, FMLA, LWOP; family care under sick leave and FMLA; leave for new parents; medical certification requirements; leave transfer; court leave; military leave; dealing with leave abuse; enforced leave and indefinite suspension; reasonable accommodation and leave; separation disability retirement; dealing with excessive absence.

Thursday

Making Performance Plans Work: Legal and regulatory background; environment; system requirements; elements and standards; feedback; applying performance plans; MSPB decisions on performance measures; performance plan review; Within-Grade Increases; unacceptable performance; performance improvement period; taking performance-based actions.

Pricing

  • 2 days = $930
  • 1 day = $510
Dec
3
Mon
Managing Federal Employee Accountability – New Orleans
Dec 3 – Dec 7 all-day

Download Registration Form

One of the biggest myths about federal employees is that it’s very difficult to hold them accountable. This five-day program will disprove that myth, while making lives much easier for the supervisors who attend. Our presenters will explain how to take defensible misconduct and performance actions quickly and fairly. And where else could supervisors learn the skills to manage in a unionized environment and to handle leave abuse, EEO complaints, and reasonable accommodation requests? Want more? Attendees will learn workplace management, communication, and leadership skills that will help when dealing with the most challenging situations and employees.

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

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

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.

Wednesday

Handling Employee Leave Issues: An overview of leave types and entitlements; annual leave; sick leave; AWOL and Leave Without Pay; FMLA crash course; medical certification requirements; substitution of paid leave; handling complicated leave issues.

Thursday

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.

Friday

Essential Management and Communication Skills: Communicating effectively with employees; identifying your leadership style; managing a multigenerational workforce; handling difficult employees; managing a mobile workforce; mentorship.

Pricing

Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.

  • 5 days = $2130
  • 4 days = $1750
  • 3 days = $1350
  • 2 days = $960
  • 1 day = $530

Registered participants will receive a copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant, fourth edition, by Wiley and Hopkins.

Nearby hotel (walking distance): Towne Place Suites New Orleans Metairie

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
3
Mon
MSPB Law Week – Dallas, TX @ Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Dallas
Jun 3 – Jun 7 all-day

Download Registration Form

The civil service world is changing and it’s important to be aware of the new laws and executive orders that apply to you. MSPB Law Week covers the basics of disciplinary charges and penalties, plus understanding the law and strategy in handling performance cases and defending against whistleblower reprisal complaints. Join top MSPB practitioners and topic authors, and learn the law, strategies, and techniques from their many years of combined experience.

With the existing backlog of over 2,000 PFRs at MSPB right now, it’s more important than ever to handle your case correctly on the front end. While the specific details about the future of the Merit Systems Protection Board remain uncertain, FELTG’s instructors are staying on top of the situation and will provide attendees with all the information they need to know.

The program runs 8:30 – 4:00 each day and is pre-approved for 29 CLE credits in Virginia and California. It is also approved for 29 HRCI general recertification credits.

Instructors

William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins

Daily Agenda

Monday

Adverse Actions: Statutory basis including the Civil Service Reform Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, the five elements of every disciplinary case and the burdens of proof, the fundamentals of penalty selection and defense, obtaining testimony to protect the penalty selection should one or more charges fail, types of evidence necessary to support a penalty selection, the MSPB’s power to mitigate a penalty and recent trends in the Board’s use of that authority, educating uninformed arbitrators, using alternatives to discipline.

Tuesday

Charges: Types of charges, parts of a charge, how charges are interpreted, the role of the proposing and deciding officials, capitalizing on the general charge, allowing the inclusion of lesser-included offenses, charging in the alternative, attractive options to difficult charges and common charging mistakes, proving the difficult “intent” charge element, a step by step approach to charge drafting.

Wednesday

Penalties: MSPB and Federal Circuit lead cases in penalty determination, getting “intent” penalties off of “non-intent” charges, proving harsh penalties off of vanilla charges, charging down and proving up, how the maximum penalty is established, an update of recent Board and court decisions: what’s really new and what’s old wine in new bottles, placing the emphasis on notice, the Board’s lack of a quorum, penalty mitigation changes.

Thursday

Unacceptable Performance: Performance actions in perspective, drafting a defensible performance standard, implementing PIP’s, defeating the PIP rollercoaster, accommodating disability-related poor performance, converting an unacceptable performance problem into a Part 752 disciplinary action, termination based on failing a performance quiz.

Friday

Defending Against Whistleblower Reprisal Claims and other Affirmative Defenses: Whistleblower claims: protected disclosures and whistleblower reprisal, claims of harmful error, reprisal for union activity, excessive penalty findings.

Pricing

Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.

Early Bird Tuition (register by May 20):

  • 5 days = $2370
  • 4 days = $1960
  • 3 days = $1550
  • 2 days = $1140
  • 1 day = $680

Standard Tuition (register May 21 – June 7):

  • 5 days = $2470
  • 4 days = $2060
  • 3 days = $1650
  • 2 days = $1240
  • 1 day = $780

Seminar registration includes a copy of the textbook UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, 4th ed., by Wiley and Hopkins.

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

Nov
19
Tue
Advanced Employee Relations – New Orleans
Nov 19 – Nov 21 all-day

Download Registration Form

Let’s face it: Being a federal sector Employee Relations Specialist is a tough job. It’s great to know the basics, but the basics don’t always help you when you’re facing those really challenging situations. That’s when you realize that there is much more to learn. No worries. FELTG is presenting Advanced Employee Relations, a three-day seminar focused on immersing you in the employee relations training you need most.

Held in New Orleans in November 2019, you’ll receive in-depth training on topics including leave, performance, misconduct, disability accommodation, and more. Plus, hands-on workshops will allow you to leave with the tools you’ll need to succeed. And it will all be taught by FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga.

Great training. Great instructor. Great location. Register now.

The program runs 8:30 – 4:30 each day.

Instructor

Barbara Haga

Daily Agenda:

Tuesday

Leave and Attendance: Administering leave, with particular emphasis on sick leave, LWOP, and FMLA. Detailed review of sick leave provisions including authorized purposes for use of sick leave, limitations on use of sick leave for family care and bereavement, eligibility to use leave for care, notice requirements, acceptable documentation. Management actions to control use of leave and abuse of sick leave. Detailed review of FMLA provisions including eligibility to invoke FMLA, entitlement, coverage of family members, administration and notice requirements. Acceptable medical documentation under FMLA, definition of serious health condition. Substitution of paid leave. Discipline tied to FMLA. LWOP – when LWOP is mandatory, limits on granting LWOP, employee status while on extended LWOP. Other topics –issues related to annual leave and leave transfer, other leave entitlements.

Wednesday

Performance Management: Managing performance from system establishment to conducting annual appraisals to taking actions linked to performance. GEAR initiative and other efforts focused on modifying Federal performance management system. Requirements for performance plans, including design of agency systems, rating schemes, and procedures for conducting appraisals. Revised DOD performance system to be implemented in 2016. Linkage between appraisal and other personnel management decisions, including reduction-in-force and within-grade increases. Writing effective and measurable performance criteria that will withstand third-party review, including a workshop where participants will do an in-depth review of performance plans. Requirements for successful performance-based actions – from drafting a PIP notice that will withstand scrutiny to conducting a bona fide PIP to ensuring that due process is met in effecting an action on unacceptable performance.

Thursday

Misconduct and Other Related Issues: Implementation of a successful disciplinary program – delegation of authority, role of advisors, warnings and cautions, use of administrative leave. Nexus. Dealing with comparators in determining a penalty. Involuntary actions – resignations and retirements. Ordering and Offering medical examinations. Specific disciplinary situations: handling situations when an employee is unable to perform including excessive leave, disability retirement, separation disability; conduct unbecoming; misuse and technology-related misconduct; failure to meet conditions of employment.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (November 5):

  • 3 days = $1370
  • 2 days = $970
  • 1 day = $530

Standard Tuition (register November 6 – November 21):

  • 3 days = $1470
  • 2 days = $1070
  • 1 day = $630

 

Nearby hotel (walking distance): Towne Place Suites New Orleans Metairie

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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