Calendar

FELTG Executive Director Deborah Hopkins instructing a class
Apr
18
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Emerging Issues in Federal Employment Law
Apr 18 – Apr 21 all-day

Event Description

They just don’t get it. Some people think of the Federal workplace as a slow, monolithic bureaucracy. They don’t see the the abrupt changes in priorities that accompany every change in presidential administrations. They don’t understand how decisions by the Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Federal Circuit, or even the Supreme Court can upend years (even decades sometimes) of policies and procedures. And we haven’t even touched on Office of Personnel Management regulations. They don’t see the challenges of ensuring the workplace is accountable, striving to make the workplace look more like America, and resolving disputes that could the end up costing those same taxpayers.

There are people in all sectors of work that have an easy job. But if you’re an HR professional, attorney, supervisor, or an EEO or ER/LR specialist, you’re not one of those people.

We’ve got you. We understand the impact of changing times, rules, and laws.

This year’s Emerging Issues in Federal Employment Law provides the guidance to succeed in the dynamic (yes, dynamic) Federal Workplace. Learn from those you may see in the trenches, like former FELTG Instructor and current EEOC Administrative Judge Meghan Droste and arbitrator Joseph Schimansky. We’ll guide you through the ever-changing law, whether it’s justifying a PIP or recognizing the new face of reprisal. We’ll give you the path for moving forward, whether it’s overcoming bias or getting more use out of the probationary period.

With 11 unique sessions over four days, FELTG’s Emerging Issues in Federal Employment Law offers an opportunity to receive guidance with a fresh perspective. And many sessions offer opportunities to pick up CLE or EEO refresher credits.

Emerging Issues in Federal Employment Law provides benefits you just can’t get from online virtual training providers. You can register for any of the sessions individually, or you can register for the whole program.  Also, the training is presented LIVE by FELTG’s experienced and respected instructors, who will answer your questions, so you get answers in real time. Don’t put off getting the important training you need.

Download Individual Registration Form

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



Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Lessons Learned

 

Session 1
10:30 – 11:45 am ET
Avoiding Pitfalls: Advice from an EEOC AJ
Presented by Meghan Droste, Administrative Judge, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

 

Course description: Be prepared. Be on time. Be civil. These are pretty basic expectations. Yet, they’re often forgotten once parties enter the EEO process. And once in the process, the potential pitfalls only increase. EEOC Administrative Judge Meghan Droste will discuss the common mistakes agencies make, from missing important deadlines to missing the mark in pleadings, whether it’s failing to provide citations to the record or exceeding page limits, or another reason. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear an EEOC AJ point out the specific perils you need to avoid to achieve success in the EEO process. Earn 1.25 CLE credits. 1.25


Session 2
1:00 – 2:15 pm ET
13 Months In: Tristan Leavitt Shares Important Lessons from the MSPB
Presented by Tristan Leavitt, former MSPB Member/President Empower Oversight; and Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President

 

Course Description: The Merit Systems Protection Board went through a tumultuous period recently. No one has had a bigger role during that time period than Tristan Leavitt. Leavitt served as a Board Member from 2022-2023 as part of the first quorum in over 5 years. Before that he served as General Counsel, and was the acting agency head after remaining Member Mark Robbins’ term expired in 2019.  FELTG President Deborah J. Hopkins will talk with Leavitt about how he steered the Board through the long period with no members, and will discuss important takeaways on topics including the Board’s view on post-Santos performance cases, the pendulum swing on comparator employees over the past decade-plus, important lessons on whistleblower protections, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Leavitt’s unique perspective. Ensure you’re prepared for the next time you have business with the agency.  Earn 1.25 CLE credits. 


Session 3
3:00 – 4:15 pm ET 
What I’ve Learned: Advice from an Arbitrator
Presented by Joseph Schimansky, Former Executive Director/Federal Service Impasses Panel,  FELTG Instructor

 

Course Description: The Federal Service Impasses Panel’s former Executive Director now spends his time, when not teaching for FELTG, arbitrating federal Labor Relations disputes. Joe Schimansky will share his guidance and advice on topics such as educating the arbitrator about your case, how the arbitrators view the Douglas factors in discipline cases, the rules in handling requests for attorney’s fees, navigating loser pays provisions, and the role of past practices when interpreting contract provisions.


Wednesday, April 19, 2023

The Ever-Changing Law

 

Session 4
10:30 – 11:45 am ET
The How, Why, and When of Justifying a PIP
Presented by Robert Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor

 

Course Description: Federal supervisors have a useful tool to deal with underperforming employees – the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Yet, supervisors have consistently struggled with getting PIPs right, even before the recent decision in Santos v. NASA, which requires agencies to have substantial evidence of poor performance BEFORE the implementing the PIP. FELTG Instructor Bob Woods will detail the ins and outs of this new requirement and share clear guidance and the effective, time-tested FELTG approach to handling unacceptable performance. Earn 1.25 CLE credits.


 

Session 5
1:00 – 2:15 pm ET
The Many Faces of Reprisal
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor

 

Course description: Did you know that the most common discrimination finding in Federal sector cases is reprisal, also known as retaliation? Why does it continue to be the most common finding and why does it show up in nearly half of all EEO complaints? Because it’s ubiquitous. Reprisal rears its ugly head in numerous situations – and those scenarios continue to change over time. FELTG Instructor Katie Atkinson will provide a thorough review of the various forms of EEO reprisal and share important guidance on how to keep it from happening at your agency, with a special focus on “per se reprisal.” Earn 1.25 CLE credits. 1.25


Session 6
3:00 – 4:15 pm ET
MSPB and EEOC Case Law Update
Presented by Deborah Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President

 

Course description: The MSPB is back and delivering decisions, the FLRA and EEOC continue to issue important decisions, the Federal Circuit has been hopping, and OPM regularly updates its guidance. A District Court in Texas recently put a hold on major Federal workplace mandates, and a Federal Appeals court has recently struck down FLRA policy decisions. It’s a lot to keep up with. That’s why you need to join FELTG for this fast-paced review of the most surprising, significant, and groundbreaking developments in Federal employment law. Earn 1.25 CLE credits.

 


Thursday, April 20, 2023

Moving Forward

 

Session 7
10:30 – 11:45 am ET
Overcoming Bias: The Power to Make Visible the Invisible
Presented by Dr. J. Bruce Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Small World Solutions

 

Course description: Unconscious bias is natural, prevalent, and human, according to Bruce Stewart. But that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. In some cases, unconscious bias can lead people, teams, and organizations to be less creative, inclusive, and effective as they could be. This 75-minute training will provide strategies and structures for individuals, teams, and organizations to overcome the negative impact of the human condition known as unconscious bias. 1.25


Session 8
1:00 – 2:15 pm ET
Up in Smoke? Changing Laws, Marijuana, and the Federal Workplace
Presented by Deborah Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President

 

Course description:This presentation coincides with 4/20 celebrations across the country, as marijuana dispensaries offer big sales and individuals partake in the drug, many of them doing so legally. Following President Biden’s pardon for people convicted of simple possession of marijuana, and the growing legalization movement, we received a lot of questions regarding Federal employees and their use, whether recreationally, medicinally, or “accidentally” – of marijuana.  FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will review the laws that apply to Federal employees, discuss relevant MSPB cases, and share the most effective approach to managing and/or disciplining employees when their drug usage seeps into the workplace. Earn 1.25 CLE credits. 

 


Session 9
3:00 – 4:15 pm ET
Everything You Want to Know About Probationary Periods 
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor

 

Course description: On the surface, probationary periods seem rather simple. An employee is given a year to prove they are a good fit for the job. But, as many agencies are now realizing, there can be challenges. What if, due to the employee’s shifting job responsibilities or leave, you are unable to make an appropriate determination at the end of the period? Must you notify employees when their probationary periods are coming to an end? Can you discipline or PIP someone during a probationary period? When re-instating or competitively hiring an employee, is a new probationary period required? FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm will lead a discussion on all you need to know. Earn 1.25 CLE credits. 

 


Friday April 21, 2023

Labor Relations Spotlight

 

Session 10
10:30 – 11:45 am ET
The Union Doesn’t Get to Attend Every Meeting
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor

 

Course description: Why do unions have the right to attend formal discussions? Why did Congress use the word “formal?” What does “formal” mean? What if the employee doesn’t want the union to attend the meeting? Is it better to just invite the union to every meeting? You have questions, questions, and more questions – and FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm has all the answers. Earn 1.25 CLE credits.

 

 


Session 11
1:00 – 2:15 pm ET
FLRA Case Law Update
Presented by Joseph Schimansky, Former Executive Director/FSIP, FELTG Instructor

 

Course description: During this 75-minute session, Joe Schimansky will bring you up to speed on everything FLRA, from significant decisions in the areas of negotiability, arbitration, unfair labor practices, and representation to the impact that the lack of a third member has had on the Authority.

 

 

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by April 3):
    • One Session = $165
    • One Day (Three Sessions) = $425
    • Labor Relations Day = $295
    • April 18-20 All Access  = $1245
    • April 18-21 All Access with Labor Relations = $1495
  • Standard Tuition (register April 4-21)
    • One Session = $195
    • One Day (Three Sessions) = $525
    • Labor Relations Day = $355
    • April 18-20 All Access = $1565
    • April 18-21 All Access with Labor Relations = $1895
  • Rates per registrant and may not be used for groups under any circumstances. No split registrations.

Event FAQs

  • Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
    • FELTG uses Zoom to broadcast its Virtual Training Institute events. 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.
  • How do I claim CLE or EEO refresher credits?
    • This program has been submitted (and we anticipate this program will be approved) for Virginia CLE credits. Members of other state bars must submit for CLE credit on their own, and may use the materials provided by FELTG in submissions. Attendees may also request a certificate of completion which will contain the number of training hours attended, and will designate how many EEO refresher hours were earned.
  • Can I get HRCI credits for attending this class?
    • Each session is approved for 1.25 hours of HRCI general recertification credit. The HRCI course numbers will be available upon the conclusion of the training.
  • 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 for the full event. Group discounts are available through April 3.

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

 

May
2
Tue
Webinar Series – The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce
May 2 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky

Course Description

The most comprehensive supervisory training event available anywhere returns once again. The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce offers six specific sessions (with a bonus seventh session for those who manage bargaining unit employees) that will give you the tools and skills to effectively and efficiently manage in the Federal workplace circa 2023.

If you’ve attended FELTG’s previous supervisory webinar series, UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, or any of our other flagship courses, these fast-paced and engaging 60-minute sessions, held monthly from 1 – 2 pm ET, will expand upon the legal and foundational principles shared in those sessions with best practices to handle very specific discipline, performance, leave, and reasonable accommodation situations. And the guidance shared will help you build the necessary framework to tackle numerous other specific and equally challenging situations.

FELTG’s annual supervisory series will get you up to speed quickly, without wasting any of your time. Just 60 minutes each month. The sessions are taught live by FELTG’s experience instructors AND you’ll have the chance to ask questions and get answers — in real time.

2023 dates and topics:

March 7: Why Supervisors Need to Use the Douglas Factors

If you’re not using the Douglas factor analysis to figure out an appropriate penalty for a misbehaving employee, then you’re doing it wrong. And when an appeal is filed, your action may not be so easy to defend without this justification. A scan of MSPB cases reveals how regularly Federal supervisors fail to understand these factors, and how that lack of understanding may sink the agency’s case. FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will explain the importance of the Douglas factors, using both foundational and recent case law examples, and walk you through the importance of each factor.

 April 4: 5 Keys to Implementing and Managing a Successful Performance Opportunity Period

You’re not alone. Every agency has employees whose performance is unacceptable. The key to addressing poor performance is to initiate an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance (called everything from a PIP or OIP to an ODAP or DP). A successful opportunity period will either lead to sustained improved performance OR a defensible performance-based removal. From the Santos requirement to a post-PIP drop in performance, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will explain the key steps to take and pitfalls to avoid.

May 2: They Just Won’t Show Up: Handling Excessive Absence

In a year when no-shows are more common than they should be, supervisors need to understand how to handle excessive absence, using the appropriate tools to correct employee behavior, while keeping in mind cases that involve reasonable accommodation or medical inability to perform. In 60 minutes, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the documentation needed and steps necessary to effectively discipline an employee for excessive absence, leave abuse, and other related matters.

June 6: Ensuring Accountability with Hybrid and Teleworking Employees

Many experts agree: The performance success of a hybrid or telework environment will come down to managers and supervisors. You may think you know how to discipline. And you may think you know how to handle poor performance. Now that your employees are spread out beyond the physical workplace, you must hold all equally accountable for performance and conduct, regardless of where they physically work. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will give you the tools and foundation to effectively do that, while also managing employees who remain in the physical workplace.

July 11: Trends in Hostile Work Environment Harassment: 2023 Edition

The pandemic sparked a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Pacific Americans and now the country is dealing with a steep increase in antisemitic threats and actions. How have these trends impacted the Federal workplace, and what is the supervisor’s role when it manifests in microaggressions, bias, harassment, or outright discrimination? This 60-minute webinar provides the tools supervisors need to recognize and quickly take effective action to prevent and correct illegal harassment in the workplace..

August 8: Providing Reasonable Accommodation for Invisible Disabilities

The effects of the pandemic live on in an increase in chronic fatigue and depression, not to mention the severe impact of long haul COVID. Meanwhile, chronic pain, diabetes, and other non-visible disabilities are on the rise as the Federal workplace continues to age. During this webinar, managers will learn how to find the right accommodation for a number of hidden disabilities.

August 22: What Supervisors Should Know About Official Time

The Labor-Management Statute holds labor and management equally accountable to the taxpayer with a shared responsibility to ensure that official time is authorized and used appropriately. In this 60-minute class, Joseph Schimansky will share everything that supervisors need to know to uphold that responsibility without overstepping their role. Attendees will learn who is entitled to official time — and who isn’t, along with the latest relevant case law and guidance.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition:

  • $270 per site, per session (payment required by February 24).
  • Special series discounts available through February 24: $1,525 for the first 6 webinars or $1,795 for all 7. See registration form for details.

Standard Tuition: 

  • $295 per site, per session (payments made February 25 or later).

Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $60 each, per session, on a space-available basis.

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

May
9
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Advanced Employee Relations
May 9 – May 11 all-day

Course Description

Employee relations professionals: FELTG’s three-day Advanced ER virtual training event gives you the kind of interactive foundational-based, training necessary to handle the most challenging and complicated situations.

Attendees will  receive in-depth training on topics including leave, performance, misconduct, and more. Have an employee who is absent so often she is unable to perform her job? Wondering how Paid Parental Leave works with FMLA? When is the last time you looked at critical elements? FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will give you the tools you need to handle any employee relations issue that comes your way, as well as guidance on ensuring that some of those challenges never arise.

This training is approved for 18 HRCI general recertification credits.

Tuesday, May 9

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, including Paid Parental 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, May 10

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. 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, May 11

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.

Date and Time

May 9-11, 2023

9:30 am – 4:30 pm ET each day

Instructor

Barbara Haga

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (register by April 24):

  • 3 days = $1425
  • 2 days = $995
  • 1 day = $530

Standard Tuition (register April 25 or later):

  • 3 days = $1525
  • 2 days = $1095
  • 1 day = $630

 

Seminar registration includes a printed copy of the materials. In order to have the best chance to receive materials by the training date, please register by April 24 and provide a shipping address, and your materials will be sent via USPS Priority Mail. Registrations received after April 24 will also receive printed materials, which will be shipped Priority Mail when registration is received; they may not arrive in time for the training.

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.
  • 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 for the full event. Group discounts are available through April 24, 2023.
Jun
6
Tue
Webinar Series – The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce
Jun 6 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky

Course Description

The most comprehensive supervisory training event available anywhere returns once again. The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce offers six specific sessions (with a bonus seventh session for those who manage bargaining unit employees) that will give you the tools and skills to effectively and efficiently manage in the Federal workplace circa 2023.

If you’ve attended FELTG’s previous supervisory webinar series, UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, or any of our other flagship courses, these fast-paced and engaging 60-minute sessions, held monthly from 1 – 2 pm ET, will expand upon the legal and foundational principles shared in those sessions with best practices to handle very specific discipline, performance, leave, and reasonable accommodation situations. And the guidance shared will help you build the necessary framework to tackle numerous other specific and equally challenging situations.

FELTG’s annual supervisory series will get you up to speed quickly, without wasting any of your time. Just 60 minutes each month. The sessions are taught live by FELTG’s experience instructors AND you’ll have the chance to ask questions and get answers — in real time.

2023 dates and topics:

March 7: Why Supervisors Need to Use the Douglas Factors

If you’re not using the Douglas factor analysis to figure out an appropriate penalty for a misbehaving employee, then you’re doing it wrong. And when an appeal is filed, your action may not be so easy to defend without this justification. A scan of MSPB cases reveals how regularly Federal supervisors fail to understand these factors, and how that lack of understanding may sink the agency’s case. FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will explain the importance of the Douglas factors, using both foundational and recent case law examples, and walk you through the importance of each factor.

 April 4: 5 Keys to Implementing and Managing a Successful Performance Opportunity Period

You’re not alone. Every agency has employees whose performance is unacceptable. The key to addressing poor performance is to initiate an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance (called everything from a PIP or OIP to an ODAP or DP). A successful opportunity period will either lead to sustained improved performance OR a defensible performance-based removal. From the Santos requirement to a post-PIP drop in performance, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will explain the key steps to take and pitfalls to avoid.

May 2: They Just Won’t Show Up: Handling Excessive Absence

In a year when no-shows are more common than they should be, supervisors need to understand how to handle excessive absence, using the appropriate tools to correct employee behavior, while keeping in mind cases that involve reasonable accommodation or medical inability to perform. In 60 minutes, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the documentation needed and steps necessary to effectively discipline an employee for excessive absence, leave abuse, and other related matters.

June 6: Ensuring Accountability with Hybrid and Teleworking Employees

Many experts agree: The performance success of a hybrid or telework environment will come down to managers and supervisors. You may think you know how to discipline. And you may think you know how to handle poor performance. Now that your employees are spread out beyond the physical workplace, you must hold all equally accountable for performance and conduct, regardless of where they physically work. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will give you the tools and foundation to effectively do that, while also managing employees who remain in the physical workplace.

July 11: Trends in Hostile Work Environment Harassment: 2023 Edition

The pandemic sparked a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Pacific Americans and now the country is dealing with a steep increase in antisemitic threats and actions. How have these trends impacted the Federal workplace, and what is the supervisor’s role when it manifests in microaggressions, bias, harassment, or outright discrimination? This 60-minute webinar provides the tools supervisors need to recognize and quickly take effective action to prevent and correct illegal harassment in the workplace..

August 8: Providing Reasonable Accommodation for Invisible Disabilities

The effects of the pandemic live on in an increase in chronic fatigue and depression, not to mention the severe impact of long haul COVID. Meanwhile, chronic pain, diabetes, and other non-visible disabilities are on the rise as the Federal workplace continues to age. During this webinar, managers will learn how to find the right accommodation for a number of hidden disabilities.

August 22: What Supervisors Should Know About Official Time

The Labor-Management Statute holds labor and management equally accountable to the taxpayer with a shared responsibility to ensure that official time is authorized and used appropriately. In this 60-minute class, Joseph Schimansky will share everything that supervisors need to know to uphold that responsibility without overstepping their role. Attendees will learn who is entitled to official time — and who isn’t, along with the latest relevant case law and guidance.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition:

  • $270 per site, per session (payment required by February 24).
  • Special series discounts available through February 24: $1,525 for the first 6 webinars or $1,795 for all 7. See registration form for details.

Standard Tuition: 

  • $295 per site, per session (payments made February 25 or later).

Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $60 each, per session, on a space-available basis.

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

Jun
14
Wed
Reasonable Accommodation: Meeting Post-pandemic Challenges in Your Agency
Jun 14 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

The pandemic is officially over, yet it continues to pose a significant challenge to Federal agencies, particularly in the area of reasonable accommodation.  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.Get ready, you’re going to hear a lot about the word “telework” in these accommodation discussions. After all, employees successfully worked remotely for almost two years, so why wouldn’t it be a viable and effective accommodation? Are you prepared to make the right determination on a request to telework as an accommodation?

New conditions have emerged over the last couple of years, and you should be ready to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with long haul COVID, breathing challenges, and mental health conditions.

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Effectively revisit existing accommodations.
  • Use the interactive process to find an effective reasonable accommodation.
  • Determine if telework is an effective accommodation.

 

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

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.

Jul
11
Tue
Webinar Series – The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce
Jul 11 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky

Course Description

The most comprehensive supervisory training event available anywhere returns once again. The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce offers six specific sessions (with a bonus seventh session for those who manage bargaining unit employees) that will give you the tools and skills to effectively and efficiently manage in the Federal workplace circa 2023.

If you’ve attended FELTG’s previous supervisory webinar series, UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, or any of our other flagship courses, these fast-paced and engaging 60-minute sessions, held monthly from 1 – 2 pm ET, will expand upon the legal and foundational principles shared in those sessions with best practices to handle very specific discipline, performance, leave, and reasonable accommodation situations. And the guidance shared will help you build the necessary framework to tackle numerous other specific and equally challenging situations.

FELTG’s annual supervisory series will get you up to speed quickly, without wasting any of your time. Just 60 minutes each month. The sessions are taught live by FELTG’s experience instructors AND you’ll have the chance to ask questions and get answers — in real time.

2023 dates and topics:

March 7: Why Supervisors Need to Use the Douglas Factors

If you’re not using the Douglas factor analysis to figure out an appropriate penalty for a misbehaving employee, then you’re doing it wrong. And when an appeal is filed, your action may not be so easy to defend without this justification. A scan of MSPB cases reveals how regularly Federal supervisors fail to understand these factors, and how that lack of understanding may sink the agency’s case. FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will explain the importance of the Douglas factors, using both foundational and recent case law examples, and walk you through the importance of each factor.

 April 4: 5 Keys to Implementing and Managing a Successful Performance Opportunity Period

You’re not alone. Every agency has employees whose performance is unacceptable. The key to addressing poor performance is to initiate an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance (called everything from a PIP or OIP to an ODAP or DP). A successful opportunity period will either lead to sustained improved performance OR a defensible performance-based removal. From the Santos requirement to a post-PIP drop in performance, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will explain the key steps to take and pitfalls to avoid.

May 2: They Just Won’t Show Up: Handling Excessive Absence

In a year when no-shows are more common than they should be, supervisors need to understand how to handle excessive absence, using the appropriate tools to correct employee behavior, while keeping in mind cases that involve reasonable accommodation or medical inability to perform. In 60 minutes, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the documentation needed and steps necessary to effectively discipline an employee for excessive absence, leave abuse, and other related matters.

June 6: Ensuring Accountability with Hybrid and Teleworking Employees

Many experts agree: The performance success of a hybrid or telework environment will come down to managers and supervisors. You may think you know how to discipline. And you may think you know how to handle poor performance. Now that your employees are spread out beyond the physical workplace, you must hold all equally accountable for performance and conduct, regardless of where they physically work. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will give you the tools and foundation to effectively do that, while also managing employees who remain in the physical workplace.

July 11: Trends in Hostile Work Environment Harassment: 2023 Edition

The pandemic sparked a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Pacific Americans and now the country is dealing with a steep increase in antisemitic threats and actions. How have these trends impacted the Federal workplace, and what is the supervisor’s role when it manifests in microaggressions, bias, harassment, or outright discrimination? This 60-minute webinar provides the tools supervisors need to recognize and quickly take effective action to prevent and correct illegal harassment in the workplace..

August 8: Providing Reasonable Accommodation for Invisible Disabilities

The effects of the pandemic live on in an increase in chronic fatigue and depression, not to mention the severe impact of long haul COVID. Meanwhile, chronic pain, diabetes, and other non-visible disabilities are on the rise as the Federal workplace continues to age. During this webinar, managers will learn how to find the right accommodation for a number of hidden disabilities.

August 22: What Supervisors Should Know About Official Time

The Labor-Management Statute holds labor and management equally accountable to the taxpayer with a shared responsibility to ensure that official time is authorized and used appropriately. In this 60-minute class, Joseph Schimansky will share everything that supervisors need to know to uphold that responsibility without overstepping their role. Attendees will learn who is entitled to official time — and who isn’t, along with the latest relevant case law and guidance.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition:

  • $270 per site, per session (payment required by February 24).
  • Special series discounts available through February 24: $1,525 for the first 6 webinars or $1,795 for all 7. See registration form for details.

Standard Tuition: 

  • $295 per site, per session (payments made February 25 or later).

Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $60 each, per session, 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.

Jul
26
Wed
Virtual Training Event – No Need for Fear: A Guide to Navigating EEO Challenges for Supervisors and Advisors
Jul 26 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

When it comes to EEO, there are two types of supervisors — those who have never been involved in a complaint and are intimidated by the process, and those who have been involved in a complaint and are still intimidated.  OK, so that may be an exaggeration. But here’s the truth: EEO matters give most supervisors a sense of weariness and dread that often turn bad situations worse.

This two-hour virtual training program gives supervisors the tools and confidence to navigate EEO issues that arise, defend against allegations of discrimination and harassment, and avoid falling into the reprisal trap. And it provides those who advise supervisors with clear-cut strategies and a path through EEO challenges.

FELTG President Deborah J. Hopkins will lay the groundwork for understanding EEO law and defenses against complaints. Instructor Susan Schneider will discuss the specific challenges supervisors face and share time-tested wisdom on how to recover and rebuild workplace morale during the process, and after an EEO claim has been resolved.

Productivity and engagement increase when supervisors have a firm grasp on EEO matters. Don’t let fear and lack of knowledge derail you and your team.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Identify the theories of discrimination in the Federal workplace.
  • Recognize the pitfalls that often lead to discrimination complaints.
  • Restore the relationship with the employee who filed the claim.

Date and Time

Wednesday, July 26, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 pm eastern.

Instructors

Deborah J. Hopkins, Susan Schneider

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $295 (payment required by July 10)
  • Standard Tuition: $325 (payments made July 11 or later)
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through July 10. Contact FELTG.

Event FAQs

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

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.

Jul
31
Mon
Virtual Training Event – Federal Workplace 2023: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends
Jul 31 – Aug 4 all-day

Course Description

Welcome to FELTG’s annual Federal Workplace event. This year, we’ve altered the format, but here’s what hasn’t changed: Federal Workplace 2023: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends will provide in-depth, up-to-date, engaging, and guidance-filled training sessions to help you effectively manage the Federal employment challenges that are new, complicated, and critical to your and your agency’s success.

In half-day classes over five days, you will learn how to effectively manage performance in a hybrid workplace, properly assess requests for telework as a reasonable accommodation, draft disciplinary charges and make penalty determinations that withstand the review of the new MSPB, address your own biases and recognize how racial myths have infiltrated policies and procedures, make the most of your job interviews and reference checks, and identify the pitfalls that are derailing your EEO investigations.

Federal Workplace 2023: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends offers benefits that you just can’t get from most virtual training programs. You can register for any of the sessions individually, or for the whole program. The training is presented LIVE by some of your favorite engaging and knowledgeable FELTG instructors – President Deborah J. Hopkins, Ann Boehm, and Barbara Haga – along with highly respected guest presenters J. Bruce Stewart, Ph.D., and Roslyn Brown.

Earn CLE credits, EEO refresher hours, and receive unique DEIA training that meets the President’s mandate.

The new fiscal year is just weeks away. Make sure you’re prepared to tackle the challenges coming your way. Attend FELTG’s Federal Workplace 2023: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends.

Monday, July 31, 2023

The Post-pandemic Federal Workplace: Telework and Hybrid Work Challenges

Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor

The pandemic has likely forever changed the Federal workplace. More employees (and applicants) than ever before not only want to work remotely but expect to. In an effort to bring some employees back to their physical workspace, the “hybrid” workplace has become the norm for most Federal agencies.

With some people working remotely and others onsite, how do you ensure that you hold all employees accountable for performance – and how do you ensure that it’s done fairly? And how do you handle the increasing number of requests to telework, especially those citing the request as an accommodation for a disability?

Some employees will struggle regardless of whether they’re at home or in an office. Using framework from FELTG’s flagship course UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, Ann Boehm will provide guidance on swiftly and effectively addressing unacceptable performance, regardless of where the employee is working. Plus she’ll discuss setting expectations and monitoring performance of employees who aren’t onsite.

She’ll also leave you with a path to determine when to say yes to a request for reasonable accommodation to telework – and when to say no.  Find out what the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute and what to do if telework would be an effective accommodation, but another accommodation would work too.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Appropriately handle requests for telework as a reasonable accommodation.
  • Write valid performance standards that apply to the employee’s current working situation.
  • Improve their skills for handling unacceptable performers, regardless of their work location.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Charges and Penalties Under the New MSPB

Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President

If you’ve been in the business for more than a few days, you know the importance of drafting legally sufficient disciplinary charges and making a defensible penalty determination. Yet many agencies still lose cases because of poorly drafted charges, or inadequate Douglas factor penalty assessments.

FELTG President Deborah J. Hopkins will cover the art and science behind drafting disciplinary charges, including the types of charges, parts of a charge, how charges are interpreted, and alternative charges. From there the discussion will cover the factors required to determine an appropriate penalty for employee misconduct. We’ll also look at how the current MSPB views charges and penalties by deconstructing recent cases they’ve issued.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Determine what charges to use based on the circumstances.
  • Defend the reasonableness of the penalty using the Douglas Factors.
  • Increase their chances of penalty deference based on this Board’s view on penalty assessment.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

The Race Ahead: Breaking the Cycle of Racial Bias by Rewiring the American Mind

Dr. J. Bruce Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Small World Solutions

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.

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Successful Hiring: Effective Techniques for Interviewing and Reference Checking

Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor

The Federal hiring process requires patience. If you’ve finally been granted approval to fill a position, you may be tempted to get someone hired as quickly as possible.

This interactive training will prepare supervisors and managers for conducting legal and successful job interviews, and will help agency advisors who assist managers in the hiring process. Barbara Haga will share guidance on how to make the most out of interviewing and checking references, from crafting an accurate position description, to asking the right questions, to assessing a candidate’s ability to perform the job. Ms. Haga will also throw back the curtains on perennial questions, such as: Are we required to interview all candidates? Do we have to ask all candidates the same exact questions? How do you use behavior-based questions to get answers about depth of experience or knowledge? What can or can’t you ask during a reference check?

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Prepare defensible questions for applicants.
  • Identify hiring practices that work and those to avoid.
  • Get critical job-related information from current and past supervisors.

Friday, August 4, 2023

Bad Detective: The Mistakes That Hamper Agency Investigations

Roslyn Brown, President/CEO at EEO Workplace Strategies

Maybe you envision yourself donning a Sherlock Holmes hat and cape. Or, perhaps, your model is the masterful Benoit Blanc of Knives Out Mystery fame. If only the work of a Federal administrative investigation was as easy as these fictional detectives make their jobs seem. Instead, there are more than enough opportunities for you to come out looking like a bumbling Inspector Clouseau.

During her distinguished Federal (and post-Federal) career, Roslyn Brown has seen her fair share of investigations that have gone the wrong way. It could be an investigator’s failure to interview certain witnesses, a failure to take a complainant’s statement into account, or, perhaps, an action, such as a widely shared email, that shows a lack of objectivity. An investigator’s failure to stay up to date with case law could sink a case, as could the inability to meet your deadlines.

Over the course of an afternoon, Ms. Brown will provide guidance on how to conduct a timely and effective investigation, while identifying the pitfalls that have doomed such efforts in the past.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Collect relevant evidence during the investigation.
  • Refine their investigation skills.
  • Identify the pitfalls that that derail effective investigations.

Attendees can also earn up to 3.5 EEO refresher credits by attending this session.

Date and Time

July 31 – August 4, 2023

1:00 – 4:30 pm ET each day (with a 30-minute break)

Instructors

Deborah J. Hopkins, Ann Boehm, Barbara Haga, J. Bruce Stewart, Roslyn Brown

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

Early Bird Tuition (register by July 6):

  • 5 days = $1595
  • 4 days = $1365
  • 3 days = $995
  • 2 days = $725
  • 1 day = $395

Standard Tuition (register July 7 and later):

  • 5 days = $1695
  • 4 days = $1465
  • 3 days = $1095
  • 2 days = $825
  • 1 day = $495

Rates per registrant. No split registrations permitted.

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.

Virtual Training Event – The Post-pandemic Federal Workplace: Telework and Hybrid Work Challenges
Jul 31 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

The pandemic has likely forever changed the Federal workplace. More employees (and applicants) than ever before not only want to work remotely but expect to. In an effort to bring some employees back to their physical workspace, the “hybrid” workplace has become the norm for most Federal agencies.

With some people working remotely and others onsite, how do you ensure that you hold all employees accountable for performance – and how do you ensure that it’s done fairly? And how do you handle the increasing number of requests to telework, especially those citing the request as an accommodation for a disability?

Some employees will struggle regardless of whether they’re at home or in an office. Using framework from FELTG’s flagship course UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, Ann Boehm will provide guidance on swiftly and effectively addressing unacceptable performance, regardless of where the employee is working. Plus she’ll discuss setting expectations and monitoring performance of employees who aren’t onsite.

She’ll also leave you with a path to determine when to say yes to a request for reasonable accommodation to telework – and when to say no.  Find out what the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute and what to do if telework would be an effective accommodation, but another accommodation would work too.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Appropriately handle requests for telework as a reasonable accommodation.
  • Write valid performance standards that apply to the employee’s current working situation.
  • Improve their skills for handling unacceptable performers, regardless of their work location.

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

July 31, 2023, 1 – 4:30 pm ET

Instructor

Ann Boehm

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.

Aug
1
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Charges and Penalties Under the New MSPB
Aug 1 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

If you’ve been in the business for more than a few days, you know the importance of drafting legally sufficient disciplinary charges and making a defensible penalty determination. Yet many agencies still lose cases because of poorly drafted charges, or inadequate Douglas factor penalty assessments.

FELTG President Deborah J. Hopkins will cover the art and science behind drafting disciplinary charges, including the types of charges, parts of a charge, how charges are interpreted, and alternative charges. From there the discussion will cover the factors required to determine an appropriate penalty for employee misconduct. We’ll also look at how the current MSPB views charges and penalties by deconstructing recent cases they’ve issued.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Determine what charges to use based on the circumstances.
  • Defend the reasonableness of the penalty using the Douglas Factors.
  • Increase their chances of penalty deference based on this Board’s view on penalty assessment.

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 1, 2023, 1 – 4:30 pm ET

Instructor

Deborah J. Hopkins

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.

Virtual Training Event – Everything You Need to Know About Probationary Periods
Aug 1 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Course Description

On the surface, probationary periods seem rather simple. An employee is given a year to prove they are a good fit for the job. But, as many agencies are now realizing, there can be challenges. What if, due to the employee’s shifting job responsibilities or leave, you are unable to make an appropriate determination at the end of the period? Must you notify employees when their probationary periods are coming to an end? Can you discipline or PIP someone during a probationary period? When re-instating or competitively hiring an employee, is a new probationary period required?

FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm will lead a discussion on all you need to know.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Classify employment status and define probationary status.
  • Follow appropriate procedures for pre- and post-employment removal of probationary employees.
  • Determine when prior service counts toward completion of probation.

Date and Time

August 1, 2023, 1 – 2 pm ET

Instructor

Ann Boehm

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by July 17): $125
  • Standard Tuition (register July 18 or later): $155
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through July 17. 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 17.

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.

Aug
2
Wed
Virtual Training Event – The Race Ahead: Breaking the Cycle of Racial Bias by Rewiring the American Mind
Aug 2 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

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.

Aug
3
Thu
Virtual Training Event – Successful Hiring: Effective Techniques for Interviewing and Reference Checking
Aug 3 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

The Federal hiring process requires patience. If you’ve finally been granted approval to fill a position, you may be tempted to get someone hired as quickly as possible.

This interactive training will prepare supervisors and managers for conducting legal and successful job interviews, and will help agency advisors who assist managers in the hiring process. Barbara Haga will share guidance on how to make the most out of interviewing and checking references, from crafting an accurate position description, to asking the right questions, to assessing a candidate’s ability to perform the job. Ms. Haga will also throw back the curtains on perennial questions, such as: Are we required to interview all candidates? Do we have to ask all candidates the same exact questions? How do you use behavior-based questions to get answers about depth of experience or knowledge? What can or can’t you ask during a reference check?

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Prepare defensible questions for applicants.
  • Identify hiring practices that work and those to avoid.
  • Get critical job-related information from current and past supervisors.

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 3, 2023, 1 – 4:30 pm ET

Instructor

Barbara Haga

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.

Aug
4
Fri
Virtual Training Event – Bad Detective: The Mistakes That Hamper Agency Investigations
Aug 4 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

Maybe you envision yourself donning a Sherlock Holmes hat and cape. Or, perhaps, your model is the masterful Benoit Blanc of Knives Out Mystery fame. If only the work of a Federal administrative investigation was as easy as these fictional detectives make their jobs seem. Instead, there are more than enough opportunities for you to come out looking like a bumbling Inspector Clouseau.

During her distinguished Federal (and post-Federal) career, Roslyn Brown has seen her fair share of investigations that have gone the wrong way. It could be an investigator’s failure to interview certain witnesses, a failure to take a complainant’s statement into account, or, perhaps, an action, such as a widely shared email, that shows a lack of objectivity. An investigator’s failure to stay up to date with case law could sink a case, as could the inability to meet your deadlines.

Over the course of an afternoon, Ms. Brown will provide guidance on how to conduct a timely and effective investigation, while identifying the pitfalls that have doomed such efforts in the past.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Collect relevant evidence during the investigation.
  • Refine their investigation skills.
  • Identify the pitfalls that that derail effective investigations.

Attendees can also earn up to 3.5 EEO refresher credits by attending this session.

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 4, 2023, 1 – 4:30 pm ET

Instructor

Roslyn Brown

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.

Aug
8
Tue
Webinar Series – The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce
Aug 8 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky

Course Description

The most comprehensive supervisory training event available anywhere returns once again. The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce offers six specific sessions (with a bonus seventh session for those who manage bargaining unit employees) that will give you the tools and skills to effectively and efficiently manage in the Federal workplace circa 2023.

If you’ve attended FELTG’s previous supervisory webinar series, UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, or any of our other flagship courses, these fast-paced and engaging 60-minute sessions, held monthly from 1 – 2 pm ET, will expand upon the legal and foundational principles shared in those sessions with best practices to handle very specific discipline, performance, leave, and reasonable accommodation situations. And the guidance shared will help you build the necessary framework to tackle numerous other specific and equally challenging situations.

FELTG’s annual supervisory series will get you up to speed quickly, without wasting any of your time. Just 60 minutes each month. The sessions are taught live by FELTG’s experience instructors AND you’ll have the chance to ask questions and get answers — in real time.

2023 dates and topics:

March 7: Why Supervisors Need to Use the Douglas Factors

If you’re not using the Douglas factor analysis to figure out an appropriate penalty for a misbehaving employee, then you’re doing it wrong. And when an appeal is filed, your action may not be so easy to defend without this justification. A scan of MSPB cases reveals how regularly Federal supervisors fail to understand these factors, and how that lack of understanding may sink the agency’s case. FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will explain the importance of the Douglas factors, using both foundational and recent case law examples, and walk you through the importance of each factor.

 April 4: 5 Keys to Implementing and Managing a Successful Performance Opportunity Period

You’re not alone. Every agency has employees whose performance is unacceptable. The key to addressing poor performance is to initiate an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance (called everything from a PIP or OIP to an ODAP or DP). A successful opportunity period will either lead to sustained improved performance OR a defensible performance-based removal. From the Santos requirement to a post-PIP drop in performance, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will explain the key steps to take and pitfalls to avoid.

May 2: They Just Won’t Show Up: Handling Excessive Absence

In a year when no-shows are more common than they should be, supervisors need to understand how to handle excessive absence, using the appropriate tools to correct employee behavior, while keeping in mind cases that involve reasonable accommodation or medical inability to perform. In 60 minutes, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the documentation needed and steps necessary to effectively discipline an employee for excessive absence, leave abuse, and other related matters.

June 6: Ensuring Accountability with Hybrid and Teleworking Employees

Many experts agree: The performance success of a hybrid or telework environment will come down to managers and supervisors. You may think you know how to discipline. And you may think you know how to handle poor performance. Now that your employees are spread out beyond the physical workplace, you must hold all equally accountable for performance and conduct, regardless of where they physically work. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will give you the tools and foundation to effectively do that, while also managing employees who remain in the physical workplace.

July 11: Trends in Hostile Work Environment Harassment: 2023 Edition

The pandemic sparked a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Pacific Americans and now the country is dealing with a steep increase in antisemitic threats and actions. How have these trends impacted the Federal workplace, and what is the supervisor’s role when it manifests in microaggressions, bias, harassment, or outright discrimination? This 60-minute webinar provides the tools supervisors need to recognize and quickly take effective action to prevent and correct illegal harassment in the workplace..

August 8: Providing Reasonable Accommodation for Invisible Disabilities

The effects of the pandemic live on in an increase in chronic fatigue and depression, not to mention the severe impact of long haul COVID. Meanwhile, chronic pain, diabetes, and other non-visible disabilities are on the rise as the Federal workplace continues to age. During this webinar, managers will learn how to find the right accommodation for a number of hidden disabilities.

August 22: What Supervisors Should Know About Official Time

The Labor-Management Statute holds labor and management equally accountable to the taxpayer with a shared responsibility to ensure that official time is authorized and used appropriately. In this 60-minute class, Joseph Schimansky will share everything that supervisors need to know to uphold that responsibility without overstepping their role. Attendees will learn who is entitled to official time — and who isn’t, along with the latest relevant case law and guidance.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition:

  • $270 per site, per session (payment required by February 24).
  • Special series discounts available through February 24: $1,525 for the first 6 webinars or $1,795 for all 7. See registration form for details.

Standard Tuition: 

  • $295 per site, per session (payments made February 25 or later).

Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $60 each, per session, 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.

Aug
15
Tue
Virtual Training Event – The Performance Equation: Providing Feedback That Makes a Difference
Aug 15 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

There is one action you can take that, when done effectively, could have a major impact on your team’s morale and productivity. This action is something that you should be doing on a regular basis, yet it’s often overlooked amid your busy schedule. What’s this transformative action? It’s giving your employees honest, and ongoing, feedback.

During this half-day interactive virtual training experience, FELTG will equip participants with the necessary tools to nurture a culture of candor that will lead to healthy and actionable feedback. You’ll learn best practices for motivating and recognizing employees, and neuroscience-based strategies for maximizing performance even when leading employees in a virtual environment. We will also expose feedback myths and share the ineffective practices that you need to avoid.

Don’t let anxiety, frustration, or confusion prevent you from having honest performance-related discussions with your employees. Providing feedback effectively is a skill that can — and should — be developed. Fix performance problems before they begin. Make your agency a more efficient place to work.

This interactive session will include breakout groups, giving participants a chance to interact with each other.

Learning Objectives

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Communicate performance expectations.
  • Supervise effectively in a virtual environment.
  • Differentiate between positive and negative framing.
  • Identify behavioral styles, including your own, to provide feedback that is better understood and more useful.

Also, you will have numerous opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times.

Date and Time

August 15, 2023, 1-4:30 pm ET

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by July 31): $370
  • Standard Tuition (August 1 or later): $395
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through July 31. 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 July 31. 

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.

 

Aug
17
Thu
Webinar – How are Religious Accommodation Requests Different from Disability Accommodation Requests?
Aug 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

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.

Aug
22
Tue
Webinar Series – The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce
Aug 22 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Download Registration Form

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm, Joe Schimansky

Course Description

The most comprehensive supervisory training event available anywhere returns once again. The Federal Supervisor’s Workshop: Building the Best Toolkit for Managing Today’s Workforce offers six specific sessions (with a bonus seventh session for those who manage bargaining unit employees) that will give you the tools and skills to effectively and efficiently manage in the Federal workplace circa 2023.

If you’ve attended FELTG’s previous supervisory webinar series, UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct, or any of our other flagship courses, these fast-paced and engaging 60-minute sessions, held monthly from 1 – 2 pm ET, will expand upon the legal and foundational principles shared in those sessions with best practices to handle very specific discipline, performance, leave, and reasonable accommodation situations. And the guidance shared will help you build the necessary framework to tackle numerous other specific and equally challenging situations.

FELTG’s annual supervisory series will get you up to speed quickly, without wasting any of your time. Just 60 minutes each month. The sessions are taught live by FELTG’s experience instructors AND you’ll have the chance to ask questions and get answers — in real time.

2023 dates and topics:

March 7: Why Supervisors Need to Use the Douglas Factors

If you’re not using the Douglas factor analysis to figure out an appropriate penalty for a misbehaving employee, then you’re doing it wrong. And when an appeal is filed, your action may not be so easy to defend without this justification. A scan of MSPB cases reveals how regularly Federal supervisors fail to understand these factors, and how that lack of understanding may sink the agency’s case. FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will explain the importance of the Douglas factors, using both foundational and recent case law examples, and walk you through the importance of each factor.

 April 4: 5 Keys to Implementing and Managing a Successful Performance Opportunity Period

You’re not alone. Every agency has employees whose performance is unacceptable. The key to addressing poor performance is to initiate an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance (called everything from a PIP or OIP to an ODAP or DP). A successful opportunity period will either lead to sustained improved performance OR a defensible performance-based removal. From the Santos requirement to a post-PIP drop in performance, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will explain the key steps to take and pitfalls to avoid.

May 2: They Just Won’t Show Up: Handling Excessive Absence

In a year when no-shows are more common than they should be, supervisors need to understand how to handle excessive absence, using the appropriate tools to correct employee behavior, while keeping in mind cases that involve reasonable accommodation or medical inability to perform. In 60 minutes, FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will share the documentation needed and steps necessary to effectively discipline an employee for excessive absence, leave abuse, and other related matters.

June 6: Ensuring Accountability with Hybrid and Teleworking Employees

Many experts agree: The performance success of a hybrid or telework environment will come down to managers and supervisors. You may think you know how to discipline. And you may think you know how to handle poor performance. Now that your employees are spread out beyond the physical workplace, you must hold all equally accountable for performance and conduct, regardless of where they physically work. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will give you the tools and foundation to effectively do that, while also managing employees who remain in the physical workplace.

July 11: Trends in Hostile Work Environment Harassment: 2023 Edition

The pandemic sparked a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Pacific Americans and now the country is dealing with a steep increase in antisemitic threats and actions. How have these trends impacted the Federal workplace, and what is the supervisor’s role when it manifests in microaggressions, bias, harassment, or outright discrimination? This 60-minute webinar provides the tools supervisors need to recognize and quickly take effective action to prevent and correct illegal harassment in the workplace..

August 8: Providing Reasonable Accommodation for Invisible Disabilities

The effects of the pandemic live on in an increase in chronic fatigue and depression, not to mention the severe impact of long haul COVID. Meanwhile, chronic pain, diabetes, and other non-visible disabilities are on the rise as the Federal workplace continues to age. During this webinar, managers will learn how to find the right accommodation for a number of hidden disabilities.

August 22: What Supervisors Should Know About Official Time

The Labor-Management Statute holds labor and management equally accountable to the taxpayer with a shared responsibility to ensure that official time is authorized and used appropriately. In this 60-minute class, Joseph Schimansky will share everything that supervisors need to know to uphold that responsibility without overstepping their role. Attendees will learn who is entitled to official time — and who isn’t, along with the latest relevant case law and guidance.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition:

  • $270 per site, per session (payment required by February 24).
  • Special series discounts available through February 24: $1,525 for the first 6 webinars or $1,795 for all 7. See registration form for details.

Standard Tuition: 

  • $295 per site, per session (payments made February 25 or later).

Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $60 each, per session, 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.

Aug
23
Wed
Virtual Training Event – Drafting Enforceable and Legally Sufficient Settlement Agreements
Aug 23 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

Most disputes in federal agencies settle employment disputes — whether they initiate as grievances, EEO complaints, or as appeals of agency disciplinary actions. While it’s common to assume that settlement means the agency has a flaw in its case, it has no direct tie to liability or admissions of wrongdoing. Often, it’s the most efficient and effective way to handle a dispute and allow you to get back to focusing on your agency’s mission.

During this interactive half-day virtual training, Bob Woods will discuss the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in settlement discussions, and will cover considerations for why and when to consider settlement as an option. In addition, he’ll explain concepts including confidentiality, legality, and enforceability.

Mr. Woods will also cover specific settlement terms that may be negotiated including references, compensatory damages, reinstatement or promotions, modifications to benefits, clean records, and more.

Learning objectives

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Implement best practices in drafting plain language agreements.
  • Structure a possible agreement.
  • Identify the limits on settlement terms.

Plus, you’ll have opportunities to ask questions. The training will run from 1 – 4:30 pm ET, with 10 minute breaks throughout.

 

Date and Time

Wednesday, August 23, 2023, 1:00 – 4:30 pm eastern.

Instructor

Bob Woods

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by August 8): $370
  • Standard Tuition (August 9 or later): $395
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through August 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 August 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.

Aug
24
Thu
Virtual Training Event – All Clear? When Employee Security Clearances are Revoked or Suspended
Aug 24 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

If a federal employee is required to have access to classified information, then the employee must be eligible for a security clearance in order to keep that position. What happens when that employee no longer has that clearance? What role does the MSPB play? What proof does the agency need to provide if the employee appeals a removal? What are the pitfalls that agencies need to avoid?

During this two-hour virtual event, Ann Boehm will detail how to handle a security clearance revocation and any resulting indefinite suspension or removal from employment. Ms. Boehm spent 26 years as a government attorney, focusing primarily on employment and labor law in federal enforcement agencies, so she’s just the person to answer any questions you might have – and she’ll do so in this live event.

This is an important topic that can’t be ignored. Employee security clearances are a matter of national security, and they must be handled appropriately.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Identify and understand the executive orders pertaining to national security.
  • Understand the National Security Adjudicative Guidelines.
  • Recognize the agency’s burden when removing or suspending for failure to maintain a security clearance.

 

Date and Time

August 24, 2023, 1 – 3 pm ET

Instructor

Ann Boehm

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by August 9): $295
  • Standard Tuition (register August 10 or later): $325
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through August 9. 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 August 9. 

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.

Aug
28
Mon
Virtual Training Event – Dealing with Behavioral Health Challenges in the Federal Workplace
Aug 28 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

If one of your agency’s employees had a mental health crisis in the workplace, would you know what to do? And with many employees still working remotely, how would you even know?

Almost 18 percent of all adults have a mental illness diagnosis at some point in their lives. We already had a mental health problem in this country before COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated the crisis in this country.

This virtual training program will provide highly practical guidance and straight-forward advice on dealing with the very unique challenges you face at this time. Licensed Clinical Social Work Shana Palmieri will de-stigmatize the truth about “mental illness” and will explain the impact various mental health conditions have on individuals, and those they work with. She’ll provide strategies for effectively supervising and managing employees with these conditions, even as they work remotely. Ms. Palmieri will answer challenging questions, such as:

  • What do you do if you suspect a mental health crisis and the employee won’t answer his phone?
  • How do you provide constructive criticism to someone who exhibits narcissistic behavior?
  • If you suspect that one of your employees has a mental impairment, what can you do beyond directing them to EAP?
  • What are the symptoms of a personality disorder?

Attendees will learn how to walk the tenuous line between providing accommodations and support for a mental health condition and holding employees accountable for their work performance. Attend this timely virtual training event and learn strategies to:

  • Improve performance and success for employees with mental health conditions.
  • Communicate effectively with all employees.
  • Successfully accommodate employees with behavioral health conditions.
  • Set appropriate boundaries and expectations in the workplace.
  • Handle a crisis or outburst in the workplace.

This class focuses on the practical and clinical side of managing employees with behavioral health conditions, rather than the legal side.

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

Date and Time

Monday, August 28, 2023, 1-3 pm ET

Instructor

Shana Palmieri

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $295 (register by August 11)
  • Standard Tuition: $325 (register August 12-28)
  • Rates per registrant.

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 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 August 11.

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
7
Thu
Reasonable Accommodation: Meeting Post-pandemic Challenges in Your Agency
Sep 7 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

The pandemic is officially over, yet it continues to pose a significant challenge to Federal agencies, particularly in the area of reasonable accommodation.  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.Get ready, you’re going to hear a lot about the word “telework” in these accommodation discussions. After all, employees successfully worked remotely for almost two years, so why wouldn’t it be a viable and effective accommodation? Are you prepared to make the right determination on a request to telework as an accommodation?

New conditions have emerged over the last couple of years, and you should be ready to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with long haul COVID, breathing challenges, and mental health conditions.

Learning takeaways

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Effectively revisit existing accommodations.
  • Use the interactive process to find an effective reasonable accommodation.
  • Determine if telework is an effective accommodation.

 

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

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.

Sep
12
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Effectively Managing and Communicating With Employees
Sep 12 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

To paraphrase Peter Drucker’s quote about leadership, “Communication is how we get things done through others.” No matter the mode, our word choice, tone, gestures, images, and timing convey information. Effective communication has the power to persuade, inspire, educate, and praise. When communication goes off track, it can alienate, insult, anger, and frighten. Relationships with our Federal employees can either be enhanced or damaged by the way we communicate.

In this class, FELTG Instructor Susan Schneider will share communication skills from her experiences in Federal agencies, combined with findings from recent research and a study of best practices. She’ll address communicating in teams or one-on-one, face-to-face or virtual, audio or written, and how strategies apply to management interactions. Realistic scenarios will emphasize the importance of truly listening and seeking to understand discussions and exchanges in the Federal workplace.

Learning objectives:

  • Identify your own and others’ communication styles.
  • Modify your style based on the purpose of the interactions.
  • Adapt your communication style for different generations.
  • Identify conflict types and use conflict management skills.
  • Interact productively with difficult personalities.
  • Use techniques for managing unplanned interactions.

 

Date and Time

September 12, 2023, 1-3 pm ET

Instructor

Susan Schneider

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $295 (register by August 25)
  • Standard Tuition: $325 (register after August 25)
  • Rates per registrant.

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 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 August 25.

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
26
Tue
Advanced Employee Relations – Washington, DC
Sep 26 – Sep 28 all-day

Download Individual Registration Form

Course Description

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.

FELTG is presenting Advanced Employee Relations, a three-day seminar that gives you the kind of interactive foundational-based training necessary to handle the most challenging and complicated situations.

Held in Washington, DC, you’ll receive in-depth training on topics including leave, performance, misconduct, disability accommodation and medical issues that affect Federal employees, 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 class will run from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm each day.

Instructor

Barbara Haga

Daily Agenda:

Tuesday, September 26

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, including a review of the requirements for administering
Paid Parental 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, September 27

Performance Management: Managing performance from system establishment to conducting
annual appraisals to taking actions linked to performance.  Requirements for
performance plans, including design of agency systems, rating schemes, and procedures for
conducting appraisals. 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 (including post-Santos issues) to conducting a bona fide PIP.

Thursday, September 28

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. Adjudication of claimed involuntary resignations and retirements. Ordering and offering offering medical examinations. Specific disciplinary situations: handling situations when an employee is unable to perform including excessive leave, separation disability; conduct unbecoming; misuse and technology-related misconduct; failure to meet conditions of employment.

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (register by September 1):

  • 3 days = $1795
  • 2 days = $1335
  • 1 day = $745

Standard Tuition (register September 2 or later):

  • 3 days = $1995
  • 2 days = $1535
  • 1 day = $945

Metro, Parking, Directions

Metro: The International Student House (1825 R Street NW) is located in convenient proximity to the Red Line. Exit Metro at the Dupont Circle station and proceed to the Q Street/North exit. Head north (you will come off the escalator facing north; if you use the elevator take a left after exiting) on Connecticut Avenue to R Street NW (approximately one block). Turn right onto R Street NW. Cross 19th Street NW and the International Student House will be on the left side of the street approximately halfway down the block. If you reach the Bikeshare dock, you’ve gone too far. Approximate walk time: 7-10 minutes.

Parking: Street parking is metered and is limited to two hours, unless you have a Washington, DC, Zone 2 parking pass. The closest parking garage is at 11 Dupont Circle, approximately two blocks from the International Student House (1825 R Street NW). Approximate walk time: 5 -7 minutes.

From the Lyle Hotel: After exiting the Lyle Hotel, turn left. At the first intersection, R Street NW, turn right. Proceed approximately one block. The International Student House (1825 R Street NW) will be on your right, just past the Bikeshare dock. Approximate walk time: 4-6 minutes.

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.

Virtual Training Event – Setting the Bar: Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility for FY 2024
Sep 26 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Course Description

In this half-day training, FELTG Instructor and Attorney at Law Katherine Atkinson will provide the foundation you need to jumpstart your DEIA efforts or take them to the next level. After an overview of civil rights law, Ms. Atkinson will share everything you need to know to foster DEIA at your agency, including:

  • What the EO says about agency obligations to underserved communities
  • What you should know about preventing and correcting harassment and discrimination in the workplace
  • Ensuring adherence to the Merit Systems principles, especially as they apply to the hiring process
  • Why and how some agencies are focusing on the concept of belonging
  • What microaggressions look like
  • How to determine your own implicit biases

Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times.

Learning objectives:

  • Identify the laws, regulations and Executive Orders that require your agency to promote DEIA in the workplace
  • Understand legally problematic selection processes and learn remedies to overcome the imbalance
  • Overcome the tendency to exhibit microaggressions in the workplace

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

Date and Time

Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 1 – 4:30 pm ET

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by September 11): $370
  • Standard Tuition (September 12 or later): $395
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through September 11. 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 September 11. 

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

Oct
17
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Managing High-Conflict Personalities in the Federal Workplace
Oct 17 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Download Individual Registration Form

Course Description

Want to reduce conflict, increase productivity, and limit absenteeism, turnover, and even removals? That’s impossible, you say. Maybe not, if you learn how to effectively manage individuals whose behavior repeatedly generates workplace conflict.

Attend this two-hour presentation and learn how to recognize employees with high-conflict personalities, whether it’s individuals who blame their peers for mistakes, tend to think in all or nothing terms, or display intense emotions. But spotting the issue isn’t the only problem. FELTG Instructor Shana Palmieri, LCSW, will also share how to effectively manage these challenging individuals.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Recognize the four traits of a high-conflict personality.
  • Intervene successfully in situations involving high-conflict personalities.
  • Identify strategies in the workplace to reduce overall conflict.

Date and Time

Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 1-3 pm ET

Instructor

Shana Palmieri

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $295 (register by October 2)
  • Standard Tuition: $325 (register after October 2)
  • Rates per registrant.

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 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 October 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.

Oct
31
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Advanced MSPB Law: Navigating Complex Issues
Oct 31 – Nov 2 all-day

Download Individual Registration Form

Course Description

Do you want to take your knowledge and understanding of MSPB law to a new level? Have you let your skills languish while the Board sat empty and quorum-less for several years? Want to confidently address the knotty Federal employment law issues that challenge even the most experienced advisors?

FELTG’s three-day Advanced MPSB Law: Navigating Complex Issues is an in-depth, highly interactive virtual training event that will not only meet all those needs, but help you reach the top of your game.

During Advanced MSPB, FELTG’s team of top MSPB practitioners and topic authors will move beyond the foundations discussed in MSPB Law Week and dive deep into high-level discussions on effective strategies and techniques for managing disciplinary and performance issues, including those that crossover with EEO.

Tuesday, October 31

Discipline Issues: Understanding the nexus requirement; progressive discipline; alternative discipline; comparator employees, and more.

Wednesday, November 1

Performance and Probationary Challenges: Writing effective performance standards; managing up and down performance; understanding and utilizing employee probationary periods, and more.

Thursday, November 2

Mixed Cases; Reasonable Accommodation: Reasonable accommodation and the intersection with performance and conduct; mixed cases; and more.

Date and Time

October 31 – November 2, 2023

1 – 4:30 pm ET each day

Instructors

Deborah Hopkins, Ann Boehm, Bob Woods

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Pricing

Early Bird Tuition (register by October 16):

  • 3 days = $1095
  • 2 days = $875
  • 1 day = $450

Standard Tuition (register October 17 or later):

  • 3 days = $1195
  • 2 days = $975
  • 1 day = $550

Seminar registration includes a printed copy of the materials. In order to have the best chance to receive materials by the training date, please register by October 16 and provide a shipping address, and your materials will be sent via USPS Priority Mail. Registrations received after October 16 will also receive printed materials, which will be shipped Priority Mail when registration is received; they may not arrive in time for the training.

 

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.
  • 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 for the full event. Group discounts are available through October 16, 2023.
Mar
12
Tue
Virtual Training Event – Successfully Leading a Multi-generational Team
Mar 12 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Course Description

The Federal workplace is rapidly changing. As Baby Boomers retire, Generation Z employees are entering the workplace. And in between, you have Gen X and Millennials. How do you not only work with, but lead such a diverse array of generations? This two-hour class will show you how to use generational differences to understand your workforce – not categorize it. You will leave with foundational tools for motivating and mentoring your multi-generational team.

Attendees will learn also how to:

  • Understand key events that have impacted each generation
  • Identify potential workplace sticking points where generations may have different preferences, such as feedback or meetings, and use them as opportunities for new solutions
  • Develop strategies for communicating with different generations

 

Date and Time

March 12, 2024, 1 – 3 pm ET

Instructor

Susan Schneider

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by February 14): $345
  • Standard Tuition (register February 15-March 12): $385
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through February 14. 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 14. 

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

Mar
20
Wed
Virtual Training Event – Handling Teleworker Performance and Conduct Challenges
Mar 20 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Course Description

Remote work opportunities are no longer a wish for many employees, but an expectation. Even as agencies transition staff back to the workplace, a good deal of remote work remains. And so does the big problem: Telework isn’t for everyone.

It’s likely that you have employees who struggle whether they’re at home or in an office. Poor performance and misconduct can never be overlooked. FELTG’s flagship courses, such as UnCivil Servant, have empowered supervisors and their advisors to confidently handle the challenges that come with supervising federal employees. Using the UnCivil Servant framework, FELTG President and attorney at law Deborah Hopkins will address and provide guidance on handling employee conduct and performance issues, regardless of their work location.

Over the course of 90 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will address challenges such as remote employees, who:

  • Misuse technology or violate time and attendance protocols.
  • Fail to perform their critical element(s) at an acceptable level.
  • Request telework as a Reasonable Accommodation.

It’s imperative to agency mission that you use the right tools to swiftly and effectively address poor performance and misconduct, regardless of where the employee is doing – or NOT doing – the actual work.

Learning Objectives

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Take disciplinary action against a teleworking employee.
  • Determine whether you have enough evidence that a non-performer should be put on a demonstration period during emergency telework.
  • Manage a demonstration period remotely.

Date and Time

March 20, 2024, 1-2:30 pm ET

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition (register by February 20): $325
  • Standard Tuition (register February 21 or later): $365
  • Rates per registrant.
  • Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through February 20. 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 20. 

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

Mar
27
Wed
Virtual Training Event – Managing High-Conflict Personalities in the Federal Workplace
Mar 27 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Download Individual Registration Form

Course Description

Want to reduce conflict, increase productivity, and limit absenteeism, turnover, and even removals? That’s impossible, you say. Maybe not, if you learn how to effectively manage individuals whose behavior repeatedly generates workplace conflict.

Attend this two-hour presentation and learn how to recognize employees with high-conflict personalities, whether it’s individuals who blame their peers for mistakes, tend to think in all or nothing terms, or display intense emotions. But spotting the issue isn’t the only problem. FELTG Instructor Shana Palmieri, LCSW, will also share how to effectively manage these challenging individuals.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Recognize the four traits of a high-conflict personality.
  • Intervene successfully in situations involving high-conflict personalities.
  • Identify strategies in the workplace to reduce overall conflict.

Date and Time

Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 1-3 pm ET

Instructor

Shana Palmieri

Registration

Download Individual Registration Form

Price

  • Early Bird Tuition: $345 (register by February 26)
  • Standard Tuition: $385 (register February 27 or later)
  • Rates per registrant.

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 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 27.

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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