Calendar

FELTG Executive Director Deborah Hopkins instructing a class
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

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.

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.

Sep
3
Thu
Webinar Series – Navigating Challenges in Federal Labor Relations
Sep 3 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Joseph Schimansky

Series Description

Join FELTG Instructor Joe Schimansky for this two-part webinar series on the timely and challenging federal labor relation topics your agency is facing. A new era of federal LR was ushered in with President Trump’s three executive orders, which cleared court review in 2019. Mr. Schimansky will explain how the EOs and FLRA case law have changed negotiations over the past few months, and he’ll share new bargaining strategies that have emerged in the current climate.

But first, the webinar series will kick off with an explanation of the union’s right to be involved in discussions. You’ll learn when meetings become formal discussions or Weingarten meetings, and what to do when an employee requests union representation.

Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.

  • September 3, 2020 – Meeting Your Responsibility When Discussions Become Formal: Union rights and responsibilities; management obligations; what a union rep can and cannot do during a formal discussion; what constitutes a reasonable belief the discipline may occur; EEO-related meetings.
  • September 17, 2020 – The Changing World of Federal Sector Negotiations: Bargaining obligations; status quo; permissive bargaining; conditions of employment vs. working conditions; the Trump Executive Orders; three categories of bargaining

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by August 24)
  • Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made August 24-September 17)
  • Register for both webinars by August 24 and pay only $470!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.

Sep
17
Thu
Webinar Series – Navigating Challenges in Federal Labor Relations
Sep 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Joseph Schimansky

Series Description

Join FELTG Instructor Joe Schimansky for this two-part webinar series on the timely and challenging federal labor relation topics your agency is facing. A new era of federal LR was ushered in with President Trump’s three executive orders, which cleared court review in 2019. Mr. Schimansky will explain how the EOs and FLRA case law have changed negotiations over the past few months, and he’ll share new bargaining strategies that have emerged in the current climate.

But first, the webinar series will kick off with an explanation of the union’s right to be involved in discussions. You’ll learn when meetings become formal discussions or Weingarten meetings, and what to do when an employee requests union representation.

Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.

  • September 3, 2020 – Meeting Your Responsibility When Discussions Become Formal: Union rights and responsibilities; management obligations; what a union rep can and cannot do during a formal discussion; what constitutes a reasonable belief the discipline may occur; EEO-related meetings.
  • September 17, 2020 – The Changing World of Federal Sector Negotiations: Bargaining obligations; status quo; permissive bargaining; conditions of employment vs. working conditions; the Trump Executive Orders; three categories of bargaining

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per webinar (payment required by August 24)
  • Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payments made August 24-September 17)
  • Register for both webinars by August 24 and pay only $470!

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.

Nov
19
Thu
Webinar – Properly Executing Annual Planning and Outreach: A Guide for OIGs
Nov 19 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Individual Webinar Registration Form

Instructor

Scott Boehm

Course Description

Aside from completing a comprehensive OIG strategic plan, annual planning with robust outreach to your stakeholders is the single most important thing an OIG does. When properly executed, OIG annual planning focuses your personnel, time, budget, and oversight resources on the issues that really matter to your Agency and the accomplishment of its fundamental missions. We all have limited resources. Therefore, it is imperative that OIGs also conduct continual stakeholder outreach to understand what challenges impede their mission.

FELTG Instructor Scott Boehm, whose federal career included a stint benchmarking for Best Practices within the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), will walk you through the five-step annual planning and outreach process while discussing elusive OIG and Agency data sources that too many OIGs overlook. Attendees will leave this session with a template for OIG annual planning and outreach, complete with stakeholder questions that will reduce agency risk and maximize OIG return on investment (ROI).

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Write succinct project proposals.
  • Conduct risk analysis and prioritize potential projects.
  • Outline strategies to align potential projects with agency stakeholders.

And you’ll have multiple opportunities to ask questions – and get answers in real time – as you develop a complete methodology to executive your own OIG annual planning and outreach.

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (payment required by November 9, 2020):
    • 1 line: $170
    • 2-5 lines: $255
    • 6-9 lines: $330
    • 10-15 lines: $415
    • 16-20 lines: $495
  • Standard Tuition (payment made November 10, 2020 or later):
    • 1 line: $195
    • 2-5 lines: $290
    • 6-9 lines: $370
    • 10-15 lines: $460
    • 16-20 lines: $545

Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.

 

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

Jun
24
Thu
Webinar – Not a One-Way Street: How OIGs and Agencies Can Successfully Work Together
Jun 24 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Scott Boehm

Course Description

The federal workplace is making a big U-turn. So many changes are taking place at such a quick pace, that the only way for agencies to survive and thrive is through leadership and coordination.

Join FELTG Instructor Scott Boehm for this important webinar. He will explain how your agency’s Office of Inspector General can play a critical role in helping you navigate these changes. But this is not a one-way discussion. Those who work in your agency’s OIG will learn what they can do to foster this coordination. So whether you work in an OIG or you’re an attorney, HR professional, EEO specialist or supervisor, this webinar will help you face the challenging situations brought about by the new Administration’s change in direction.

Your agency’s OIG employs investigators, auditors, evaluators, and, sometimes, armed special agents. Its mission is to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse, and promote economy, effectiveness, and efficiency of agency operations. It does so by investigating potential violations of law or misconduct and auditing or evaluating the agency’s operations and systems.

Attendees will leave with a clear picture of how the HR, EEO, and General Counsel offices can work effectively with the OIG to bring about effective change to skillfully meet agency mission.

Attendees will learn how to:
  • Recognize the various types, purposes, and qualifications of Inspector Generals.
  • Identify the agency information that the OIG has access to, and any limitations it has on that information.
  • Determine whether an event or action triggers your responsibility

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by June 14).
  • Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made June 15 or later).

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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