Calendar

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Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

 1.5

If you’re a federal EEO practitioner, chances are you’ve had a case where an employee alleges that she was not selected or promoted because of something other than job qualifications – race, sex, age, disability, or another protected class. These cases may be common, but that doesn’t mean they’re routine and they can present agency reps with major challenges: from properly defining the claim, to collecting the right information during the investigation, to presenting evidence at the hearing or in a motion for summary judgment.

On February 1, join FELTG instructor and attorney at law Meghan Droste, who has years of experience litigating selection and promotion cases, as she guides you through the important considerations necessary to defend your selections and promotions. Ms Droste will begin by covering the basic principles of selection cases, and will take you through all the important categories of selection criteria.

She’ll also discuss:

•      Selection panels
•      Selection records
•      How to defend selection cases before the EEOC or an arbitrator

Don’t miss out on this special event. Register your site today.

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, pending space availability.

Download Registration Form

You’ve probably noticed that the #MeToo movement is as strong as ever. There are all kinds of comments, from all kinds of people, about the need for training on this important topic, but there hasn’t been much action.

As we like to do at FELTG, we’re doing something about it by addressing the issue of sexual harassment in the federal government head-on. Join us in Washington, DC, March 26 for a half-day seminar Sexual Harassment as Misconduct: Defending Your Agency while Protecting Your Employees. In this program, we’ll discuss the foundational law and how sexual harassment cases come to be, but our emphasis will be on STOPPING it from happening by addressing the misconduct before it becomes a problem. Case examples will show you the best ways to handle inappropriate sexual conduct from employees and supervisors – and things to avoid. We hope you’ll be able to attend this important discussion.

The program runs from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and is targeted to supervisors, managers, and advisers.

 3

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Agenda:

• 9:30 – 10:30 – Statutory basis; differentiating tangible employment actions
• 10:40 – 11:50 – Hostile work environment cases; unwelcome conduct; severe or pervasive; agency liability; defenses
• 12:00 – 1:00 – Addressing the misconduct; proper and improper rules of behavior in the workplace; penalty determinations;disciplining for inappropriate sexual conduct; zero tolerance policies

Pricing

• $295 per participant. Group discounts for 5 or more attendees available.

Download Registration Form

Instructors

William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins

Course Description

 1

It’s that time again!

Twice a year we update you with what’s new from the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA. Join FELTG attorneys William Wiley and Deborah Hopkins as they combine forces for a fast-paced discussion on the most surprising, significant and groundbreaking recent decisions and trends from the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA. If you’ve attended a past edition, you know this is not your standard [“boring”] case law update, but an editorial discussion that not only informs you about current cases, but explains how they impact your daily work whether you’re a lawyer, or an HR, ER, LR or EEO practitioner.

Bill and Deb will share where we’ve been and where we’re headed with the trends and regulations that influence your workplace and the way issues are litigated in your agency or union. Plus, ask your questions and get answers in real time.

We’d love to tell you now about the cases and regulations that will be discussed, but that’s entirely up to the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA. Stay tuned!

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Course Description

 1.5

You’ve probably noticed that the #MeToo movement is as strong as ever. There are all kinds of comments, from all kinds of people, about the need for training on this important topic, but there hasn’t been much action.

At FELTG, we’re doing something about it by addressing the issue of sexual harassment in the federal government as MISCONDUCT, not just as an EEO issue.

Join us for the webinar Sexual Harassment as Misconduct: Defending Your Agency while Protecting Your Employees. In this program, we’ll discuss the foundational law and how sexual harassment cases come to be, but our emphasis will be on STOPPING it from happening by addressing the misconduct before it becomes a problem. Case examples will show you the best ways to handle inappropriate sexual conduct from employees and supervisors – and things to avoid. We hope you’ll be able to attend this important discussion.

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, if space is available.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Course Description

 1.5

If a contractor files an EEO complaint against your agency, is your agency liable? Don’t say “No” quite so quickly. The federal-sector EEO process is not exclusively limited to civil service employees; in certain cases contractors under agency supervision can file EEO complaints if the agency is determined to be a “joint employer.”

Join FELTG instructor Katherine Atkinson as she takes you through the steps you need to determine whether your agency passes the joint employer test. After covering the substantive law, she’ll discuss:

• The Ma v. HHS case and the resulting Ma factors
• How the Ma test should be applied in your agency
• Roles and responsibilities of agency personnel when contractors start the EEO process
• Defenses to the “joint employer” allegation
• Common questions and answers that arise from agencies dealing with contractors

This webinar will include time for your Q & A, so make plans to join us!

Price

$270 per site.

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

 1.5

There’s a lot of discussion these days about whether or not employees can legally be fired for being LGBTQ+. In fact, the EEOC says sexual orientation and gender identity is protected under Title VII, but the DoJ says just the opposite. It’s quite a conflict between two relatively independent federal agencies, so what does it all mean for the federal workforce?

Join FELTG instructor Meghan Droste, an experienced LGBTQ and Gender Issues Practice Group team lead, for this 90-minute webinar that explains the latest information on the state of sexual orientation and gender identity protections in the federal workplace.

After a brief discussion on applicable law and the theories of discrimination, Ms Droste will cover:

• Important definitions in 2018
• The latest on sexual orientation protection under Title VII, and the current federal circuit split
• Transgender status and legal protections
• Gender stereotyping claims and same-sex harassment
• Best practices for agencies to follow

The law has been evolving for quite some time, and with a circuit split it’s crucial to understand where things are – today. Register now!

Price

$270 per site.

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Ricky Rowe

Course Description

 1.5

According to the EEOC, Management Directive 715 “provides a roadmap for creating effective equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs for all federal employees as required by Title VII and the Rehabilitation Act.” MD-715 comes with a list of reporting requirements. While these requirement are mandatory, not all agencies are fully compliant with MD-715.

This is where FELTG comes in. Join us July 12 where instructor Ricky Rowe – who handled the MD-715 program for the Department of Veterans Affairs for several years – explains everything you need to know to report appropriately, and to develop a model EEO program. After an introduction and explanation of the relevant parts of MD-715, he’ll discuss:

• Appropriate formatting
• Levels of reporting required
• How subordinate reporting components fit into the scheme of overall reporting
• The necessary steps to complete an effective barrier analysis
• Strategies for improving diversity in your agency

As always, this session is held live and gives you a chance to ask your questions, and get immediate answers. Space is limited, so register your site today!

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Course Description

 1.5

One of the most important – and challenging – areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. While the law changed nearly ten years ago with the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, a number of agencies are still following outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way for your agency to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations to people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.

Join FELTG Executive Director and Attorney at Law Deborah Hopkins for Part 1 of the four-part Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace Series. Ms Hopkins will begin by explaining the current state of disability law and how the ADA, ADAAA, and Rehabilitation Act apply to federal employees with disabilities. From there, she’ll discuss:

• Making disability determinations
• What a “qualified individual” actually means
• Reasonable accommodation requests
• The interactive process
• Denials of reasonable accommodation
• Reassignment and Medical Inability to Perform removals

Whether you’re an attorney, disability program manager, EEO or HR Specialist or a supervisor, you’ll want to be sure to attend this session.

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, if space is available.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Katherine Atkinson

Course Description

 1.5

When the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act became effective nearly a decade ago, the law expanded ADA coverage to include more individuals in disability determinations. In Part 2 of the Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series, FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson, attorney at law, will take a focused look at three challenging areas in the disability process that have changed in recent years: qualified individuals, essential functions, and undue hardship.

After an overview of the disability accommodation law and analysis, Ms Atkinson will dive into the details, including:

• How to determine whether an individual is qualified for a particular job
• How to decide what job functions are essential, and what job functions are marginal or ancillary
• What factors control an undue hardship determination

You’ll have time to ask your questions, and get answers in real time, so make plans now to attend this important event.

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, if space is available.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Course Description

 1.5

The law requires federal agencies to engage in the interactive process when assessing reasonable accommodations for employees who have disabilities. In 2018, telework and modified work schedules are among the most commonly requested – and most effective – accommodations for individuals who have physical and mental disabilities. But telework is often requested in cases where the “convenience” of working from home is called in to question. What should you do in those situations?

Join FELTG Executive Director and Attorney at Law Deborah Hopkins for a discussion on this timely topic during Part 3 of the Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series. Ms Hopkins will start with a quick review of the law, and will detail the required three-step process for agencies to be compliant when dealing with reasonable accommodation requests.

From there, she’ll discuss:

• What to do if telework would be an effective accommodation – but something else would work too
• Why accommodations are always the agency’s choice
• Alternative approaches to providing telework, leave and modified work schedules as accommodation
• The undue hardship analysis
• What the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute

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

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, if space is available.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

 1.5

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? Not everyone realizes this; in 2017 a company in West Virginia was ordered to pay out damages of nearly $600,000 for not taking an employee’s religious accommodation request seriously.

The law requiring religious accommodation is different than the law for disability accommodation, and it’s important you know the distinctions. Join FELTG for the final session in the Four-Part Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series, where Attorney at Law Meghan Droste helps in your goal of Understanding Religious Accommodation: How it’s Different from Disability Accommodation.

After a review of the relevant law and regulations law that pertain to religious accommodation, Ms Droste 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 want to be sure to join us for this important session.

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, if space is available.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

 1.5

Have you ever opened up a file to look at an employee’s discipline history, only to come across medical information that may or may not be related to the conduct at issue?

Do you know who in your agency is responsible for collecting medical information from healthcare providers in reasonable accommodation cases?

How much information should supervisors be told about their employees’ health conditions?

These are tough questions, and knowing the answers will help ensure you comply with the strict laws on requesting and storing medical documentation in the federal workplace. Join FELTG instructor Meghan Droste, attorney at law, for this 90-minute webinar on a topic we deal with in both the HR and EEO setting. After a brief discussion on applicable law, Ms Droste will cover:

• How the ADAAA and GINA impact the collection of medical information,
• Pre- and post-employment medical exams and inquiries,
• Conditional employment offers and related medical information,
• Who should gather the information – and who should not, and
• How much detail supervisors need in medical accommodation cases.

This is an area where innocent release of medical information can be expensive – and is an automatic loser even if there was no harm done to the employee. Register now!

Price

$270 per site.

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructors

William Wiley, Deborah Hopkins

Course Description

 1

It’s that time of year again! And boy, do we have some new material, with the new executive orders on accountability and labor relations, plus several much-anticipated FLRA decisions bringing clarity to questions we’ve had for years.

Twice a year we update you with what’s new from the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA, and this one looks to be better than ever.

Join FELTG attorneys William Wiley and Deborah Hopkins as they combine forces for a fast-paced discussion on the most surprising, significant and groundbreaking recent decisions and trends from the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA. If you’ve attended a past edition, you know this is not your standard [“boring”] case law update, but an editorial discussion that not only informs you about current cases, but explains how they impact your daily work whether you’re a lawyer, or an HR, ER, LR or EEO practitioner.

Bill and Deb will share where we’ve been and where we’re headed with the trends and regulations that influence your workplace and the way issues are litigated in your agency or union. Plus, ask your questions and get answers in real time.

We’d love to tell you now about the cases and regulations that will be discussed, but that’s entirely up to the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA. Stay tuned!

Price

$270 per site

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Meghan Droste

Course Description

 1.5

There’s a lot of discussion these days about whether or not employees can legally be fired for being LGBTQ+. In fact, the EEOC says sexual orientation and gender identity is protected under Title VII, but the DoJ says just the opposite. It’s quite a conflict between two relatively independent federal agencies, so what does it all mean for the federal workforce?

Join FELTG instructor Meghan Droste, an experienced LGBTQ and Gender Issues Practice Group team lead, for this 90-minute webinar that explains the latest information on the state of sexual orientation and gender identity protections in the federal workplace.

After a brief discussion on applicable law and the theories of discrimination, Ms Droste will cover:

• Important definitions in 2018
• The latest on sexual orientation protection under Title VII, and the current federal circuit split
• Transgender status and legal protections
• Gender stereotyping claims and same-sex harassment
• Best practices for agencies to follow

The law has been evolving for quite some time, and with a circuit split it’s crucial to understand where things are – today. Register now!

Price

$270 per site.

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $25 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Dwight Lewis

Course Description

 1.5

The EEO process can be challenging for even the most experienced practitioners. If only there was someone with close to 35 years of experience as an EEOC administrative judge who has seen numerous agency mistakes who was willing to take the time to explain what you can do to avoid them.

Now there is. Meet Dwight Lewis, who recently retired as chief administrative judge in the Dallas region – a post he held since 1990. Mr. Lewis will guide you through the Dos and Don’ts of the EEO process from effectively framing an EEO complaint to avoiding sanctions.

Join FELTG for this 90-minute webinar, where Mr. Lewis will discuss appropriate etiquette when interacting with a judge. He’ll also help you learn how to:

• Determine which complaints should be investigated, and which should be dismissed.
• Avoid retaliation claims.
• Get past your resistance to settle.

The webinar will also include time for Q&A on these topics. Don’t miss this important opportunity to learn from the highly respected former Chief AJ. Register now.

Price

Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (registration submitted by May 6)                                                                                Standard Tuition: $305 per site (registration submitted May 7 or later)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, on a space-available basis.

Download Registration Form

Instructor

Deborah Hopkins

Course Description

 1.5

In 2017, an MSPB survey revealed that more than 20 percent of female federal employees were sexually harassed in the workplace between 2014 and 2016. There has been a lot of talk about the need for training on this important topic. But now it’s time for action.

Let FELTG help you take that action. Join us for the 90-minute webinar Employee Sexual Misconduct: Discipline Early to Make Your Agency a Safer Place. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins, attorney at law, will show you how to address sexual harassment in the federal government as MISCONDUCT — not just as an EEO issue.

We’ll discuss the foundational law and how sexual harassment cases come to be, but our emphasis will be on STOPPING it from happening by addressing the misconduct before it becomes a problem. Case examples will show you the best ways to handle inappropriate sexual conduct from employees and supervisors – and things to avoid. We hope you’ll be able to attend this important discussion.

Price

Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by June 17)

Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made June 18 or later)

Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.