Instructor
Course Description
1.5
The law regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace continues to evolve, but not in a way that makes the law clear. For example: The EEOC says sexual orientation and gender identity are protected under Title VII. The Department of Justice says just the opposite. There is the federal circuit split on the issue. And in October 2019, the Supreme Court will finally consider the issue.
It may be confusing, but you don’t have to be confused. In this 90-minute webinar, FELTG instructor Meghan Droste, attorney at law and experienced LGBTQ and Gender Issues Practice Group team lead, will explain where the law stands now. She will provide the latest information on protections under the law, define the terminology, and explain gender stereotyping as sex discrimination.
Attendees will also learn about:
- Transgender status and legal protections
- Identify the actions that have gotten agencies into legal trouble
- Cases involving LGBTQ status and religion
- The best practices for agencies to follow
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by August 26)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made August 27 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
We are often get asked: “Why should I use the Douglas factors?” Our answer is always: “Why in the world wouldn’t you?”
The Douglas factor analysis is incredibly useful in helping any manager figure out an appropriate penalty for an employee who engaged in misconduct. If you don’t use Douglas, you are just penalizing based upon what seems or feels right, and that isn’t going to be easy to defend.
FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will explain the importance of the Douglas Factors even in the seemingly most relatively minor misconduct cases. After this 90-minute webinar, attendees will be able to :
- Explain the importance of the Douglas Factors in penalty determination.
- Address all 12 Douglas Factors in an analysis.
- Identify cases that illustrate the perils of not considering the Douglas Factors.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by September 2)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made September 3 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
In 2016, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States, killing more than 44,000 people. And 291 of those suicides took place in the workplace.
As suicide rates continue to rise, the impact is becoming more severe on the workplace. Join Shana Palmieri, LCSW for this 90-minute webinar as she discusses the behavior health disorders that lead to suicide risk, provides an overview of suicide and suicidal ideation in the United States and in the workplace, and shares real answers on what you can do and when to save an employee’s life.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the signs and symptoms of suicide that indicate the need for professional intervention
- Effectively communicate to employees about suicide
- Handle a suicidal crisis in the workplace
The webinar will also include time for Q & A on these topics. This is a session you truly can’t afford to miss, so register your site today.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by September 16)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made September 17 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
Agencies have a problem addressing unacceptable performance. How else do you explain that nearly 75 percent of non-supervisory federal employees believe supervisors fail to take the necessary steps to address poor performance?
In this 90-minute webinar, FELTG President, attorney and author Deborah Hopkins will answer the question: How does an agency take appropriate, defensible action against poor performers?
Ms. Hopkins will explain the appropriate procedures to take when initiating an Opportunity to Demonstrate Acceptable Performance and will highlight mistakes that your agency can’t afford to make, and show you how to remove a poor performer from the federal service in just 31 days.
In addition, Ms Hopkins will discuss:
- Critical time periods for the stages of performance-based actions
- How to draft and deliver performance documents
- The importance of holding employees accountable throughout the process
- Tips for managing problem employees during the notice period
- The necessary levels of proof an agency must maintain to defend a performance-based suspension or termination
Attend this FELTG seminar to learn the appropriate methods to safeguard your agency when removing poor performers, and guarantee that your actions will stand.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by September 23)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made September 24 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
If you’re a federal EEO practitioner, attorney, or HR professional, you can’t afford to sleep on recent EEOC decisions. You also can’t afford to sit through a boring case law update that will put you to sleep.
That’s why you need to join FELTG for this fast-paced review of the most surprising, significant, and groundbreaking recent decisions from the EEOC. Attorney Meghan Droste will break down recent Commission cases involving harassment, reasonable accommodations, remedies, sanctions, and more. Find out where the EEOC is headed on these critical topics, and how these decisions impact your agency.
This 60-minute webinar will also cover recent developments at the EEOC, including the Commission’s case closure statistics. Plus, ask your questions and get answers in real time.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $225 per site (payment required by September 30)
Standard Tuition: $255 per site (for payments made October 1 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
The Douglas factors require agencies to consider alternative sanctions, but what exactly are alternatives to discipline? How do they work? Does anyone even know where to start an alternative to discipline?
FELTG instructor Ann Boehm does. In this 90-minute webinar, she will show you how how to think outside the box in certain disciplinary situations. For example, the last thing you want to do to someone who is AWOL is suspend them — they already are not coming to work. Instead, we can show you how to give a reprimand in lieu of suspension. The goal of discipline is to rehabilitate, and in certain circumstances, alternative sanctions are very effective in that regard.
Attendees will:
- Learn the legal requirements that form the foundation of disciplinary actions.
- Identify several alternatives to adverse actions.
- Understand the benefits of a reprimand in lieu of a suspension.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by October 14)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made October 15 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
Workplace violence statistics tell a harrowing story. About 17 percent of all workplace fatalities in 2016 were the result of workplace violence, according to the National Safety Council. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that nearly 2 million workers are victims of workplace violence. And an estimated 25 percent of workplace violence goes unreported.
This topic is too important to ignore. Join FELTG for the webinar Threats of Violence in the Federal Workplace: Assessing Risk and Taking Action. This program will be instructed by Shana Palmieri, FELTG instructor and LCSW who specializes in mental health and handled the psychiatric aftermath of the Navy Yard shooting in 2013.
The session is focused on the practical issues that agencies encounter when dealing with an employee whose behavior poses a risk to workplace safety. Discussion points include:
- Warning signs that violence may be imminent, and dynamic risk and protective factors for workplace targeted violence
- Equipping Threat Management Teams to respond to threats or violent acts
- Understanding the behavioral health issues that contribute to violent behavior – and those that don’t
- Preparing for domestic or intimate partner violence and its interplay with the federal workplace
The webinar will also include time for Q & A on these topics. This is a session you truly can’t afford to miss, so register your site today.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by October 21)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made October 22 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Anthony Marchese
Did you ever have an employee that you knew was a problem? You know the steps to take if it’s a performance issue or a conduct issue. But what if it’s neither? What are your options?
Seventy-five percent of the population is different from ourselves. Some of the people that we work with may not only be different but difficult. If you fail to address the issue, you are likely to see decreased production, lowered morale, and increased absenteeism from the rest of the your team.
This 90-minute webinar, hosted by FELTG President Deborah Hopkins and instructor and author/leadership expert Dr. Anthony Marchese, will explain how get the best from all of your employees. They will also provide guidance on:
- Handling issues of performance and conduct
- Communication fundamentals
- Employee types
- Managing difficult employees
- Creating a positive work environment
Join FELTG for an informative, entertaining, and useful session.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by October 28)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made October 29 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
When must you accommodate an employee who is pregnant? Can you request medical documentation if a pregnant employee asks for an accommodation? What if an employee can’t do the critical elements of her job because she is pregnant? What are the options for an employee who hasn’t worked long enough to be eligible for FMLA?
Federal law protects employees from pregnancy-based discrimination and harassment at work, and it allows that employees have a legal right to work adjustments to allow them to do their job without jeopardizing their health. However, these protections come at the intersection of three different laws — the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
This 90-minute webinar, hosted by FELTG instructor and attorney at law Meghan Droste, will explain the protections afforded pregnant employees under all three laws, as well as explain:
- When you have an obligation to accommodate pregnant employees.
- What medical documentation you are permitted to ask for when evaluating a request for accommodations.
- How to avoid discriminating against pregnant job applicants.
- What to do when supervisors try to “protect” pregnant employees from difficult work.
Get up to speed on this challenging area of law. Register today.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by November 11)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made November 12 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
From chronic pain and chronic fatigue to depression and diabetes, disabilities are not always visible or obvious in the workplace. As the federal workforce ages, the number of employees with hidden disabilities continues to grow. This can make providing reasonable accommodation a challenge for HR professionals, supervisors, and the people who advise them.
During this 90-minute webinar, attorney Katherine Atkinson will explain to how properly navigate Rehabilitation Act regulations and EEOC guidance while taking a common sense approach to reasonably accommodating hidden disabilities. Ms. Atkinson will provide examples of accommodations that have proven successful for hidden disabilities.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Recognize myths and misconceptions about specific disabilities.
- Determine whether the employee is a qualified individual.
- Use the interactive process to find an effective reasonable accommodation.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment required by November 25)
Standard Tuition: $305 per site (for payments made November 26 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
A few weeks ago, a 25-year-old lawmaker in New Zealand took the internet by storm when she shut down a heckler with two words that went viral: “OK, Boomer.” There were all kinds of connotations in those two words, and while it may be meme-worthy, it’s not a phrase that we’d recommend you start using in the workplace.
Join FELTG President Deborah Hopkins for a 60-minute discussion on age discrimination in the federal workplace, to learn what you can and can’t do – and say – when it relates to an employee’s age. From hiring to promotion, hostile work environment to regarded as disabilities, to performance appraisals, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the various theories of age discrimination in the federal workplace.
- Identify the types of conduct that give rise to age discrimination claims.
- Know the dos and don’ts when discussing age-related topics in the workplace including retirement, OWBPA, and more.
Register today.
Price
Early Bird Tuition: $225 per site (payment required by December 2)
Standard Tuition: $255 per site (for payments made December 3 or later)
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $35 each, if space is available.
Instructor
Course Description
Ensuring that employees remain capable of performing their duties, whether those requirements involve physical or mental demands of other requirements such as licenses and certifications, is a challenging issue for many HR practitioners. FELTG instructor Barbara Haga will share specific guidance on how to effectively enforce medical requirements without running afoul of the Merit Systems Protection Board or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
During this 90-minute webinar, Ms. Haga will review a number of MSPB cases about employees who either met a qualification requirement or certification requirement and then lost it – or never were able to obtain it all. This program will also cover the gamut from IT to EMT certifications, pilot certifications, ability to qualify with a weapon, and much more.
Attendees will learn how to:
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $275 per site (payment made by January 27).
- Standard Tuition: $305 per site (payment made January 28 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Instructor
Course Description
There are several reasons why an EEO claim might be dismissed, but it’s not a decision that should be made quickly or without much thought. A surprising number of agency dismissals are overturned by the EEOC each year. Join FELTG as we dive into the very core of the EEO complaint process, and understand when to accept EEO claims, and when to deny them. This 60-minute webinar will review the reasons for dismissing a claim — failure to state a claim, timeliness, collateral attack, and framing claims.
This is the first of a four-part series on Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process.
1
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by February 24).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made February 25 or later).
- Register for all four webinars by February 24 and pay only $910!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
The Trump Executive Orders made it clear that progressive discipline is not mandatory. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be an important tool, particularly when considering whether an employee should be fired on the heels of new misconduct. Join FELTG as we dive into when and how to effectively use progressive discipline. The 60-minute webinar will also cover the foundations of discipline, the differences between performance and misconduct; the options to discipline; and the tricky concept of comparator employees. This webinar is part of the Navigating Challenges in the Discipline Process series.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by March 9).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made March 10 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Course Description
In a matter of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the federal workplace, the country, and the world. In this free 30-minute webinar, FELTG President and attorney at law Deborah Hopkins discusses two areas where the response to this virus has impacted the federal workplace:
- ADA and EEOC guidance on the medical impact of COVID-19 in the federal workplace
- Including medical inquiries, fitness for duty exams, and clearance to return to work
- OPM and White House guidance on agency operations during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Including telework, evacuation orders, and weather and safety leave
Instructor
Price and Registration
FREE. Registration is currently full. However, if you use the registration link below FELTG will add you to the wait list, and after the webinar’s conclusion we will email you a link so you can view the recorded presentation.
Register here. Enrollment is limited to the first 200 individuals and space is not guaranteed.
If you are one of the first 200 participants to register, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom webinars confirming your registration and containing important access information.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. What’s the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability? Does the FMLA limit on leave apply to a reasonable accommodation of leave? This 60-minute webinar will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
This is the second of four webinars on Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process.
EEO Refresher Hours: 1
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by February 24).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made February 25 or later).
- Register for all four webinars by February 24 and pay only $910!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. What’s the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability? Does the FMLA limit on leave apply to a reasonable accommodation of leave? This 60-minute webinar will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
This is the second of four webinars on Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process.
EEO Refresher Hours: 1
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by February 24).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made February 25 or later).
- Register for all four webinars by February 24 and pay only $910!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $40 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
Due process is a simple, yet often misunderstood, concept. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will explain constitutional due process, how it applies to the federal workforce, and what happens if your agency violates it. (Hint: You will lose your appeal.) This 60-minute webinar, part of the Navigating Challenges in the Discipline Process series, will cover Ward and Stone violations, the role of the proposing and deciding officials and the discipline timelines as required by Executive Order 13839.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by April 10, 2020):
- 1 line: $100
- 2-5 lines: $185
- 6-9 lines: $260
- 10-15 lines: $340
- 16-20 lines: $425
- Standard Tuition (payments made April 11, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $115
- 2-5 lines: $215
- 6-9 lines: $290
- 10-15 lines: $370
- 16-20 lines: $455
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
FELTG’s flagship course UnCivil Servant empowers federal supervisors and advisers to confidently handle the challenges that come with supervising in the federal workplace. We hope that you never have to fire an employee. But it’s important that you have the tools to effectively address poor performance and misconduct, should the need arise.
Over the course of two half-days, UnCivil Servant identifies misconceptions about performance and misconduct-based actions and provides you with simple step-by-step guidance for taking swift, appropriate and legally defensible actions. The program also covers the very latest with Executive Order 13839, plus OPM regulations on performance and conduct.
Join FELTG for this special event, from wherever you are working – agency office or home. The program will be presented live, and you’ll have time to ask questions and get answers in real time. Note: This course fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
This program runs from 12:30 – 4:00 eastern each day, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 eastern.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Who Should Attend
Federal supervisors and managers; attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO specialists; union representatives.
Agenda
Wednesday, April 29
Accountability for Conduct and Performance, Part I: Accountability and supervisory authority; discipline and misconduct theory and practice; the five elements of discipline; off-duty misconduct; penalty defense and due process.
Thursday, April 30
Accountability for Conduct and Performance, Part II: Discipline procedures and appeals; disciplinary documents; defining unacceptable performance; dealing with poor performers; performance-based removal procedures.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $210 per session, $395 for both sessions (register by April 20).
- Standard Tuition: $225 per session, $425 for both sessions (register April 21-30).
- Rates per registrant.
- Want to register a group? Group discounts available though April 20. Contact FELTG.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Zoom Webinars (not Zoom Meetings) 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.
- What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
- FELTG plans to record every session, and will make recordings available for purchase after the conclusion of the event. FELTG also plans to offer this live event periodically.
- 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?
- If an agency wishes to register 10 or more attendees for the full event, a group discount will be applied if all registrations are received and paid for together. Group discount deadline is April 20.
- Can I earn CLE credits for this class?
- CLE applications are the responsibility of each attendee; FELTG goes 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 earn HRCI credits for attending this class?
- Each session is approved for 1.5 hours of HRCI general recertification credit. The HRCI course numbers will be available upon the conclusion of the training.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how this applies to our webinars, or how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
What will be the impact on President Trump’s letter permitting the Department of Defense to bypass unions? What about the FLRA’s decision to change the rules on dues withholding?
Joe Schimansky, former Executive Director of the Federal Service Impasses Panel, will take a look at what’s been happening at the FLRA in the last several months, and what’s likely to happen in the near future. He’ll review the latest decisions by the FLRA and FSIP to demonstrate how the world of federal labor relations is changing daily.
If you are involved in federal sector labor relations, this is a webinar you can’t afford to miss.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by April 27, 2020):
- 1 line: $100
- 2-5 lines: $185
- 6-9 lines: $260
- 10-15 lines: $340
- 16-20 lines: $425
- Standard Tuition (payments made April 28, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $115
- 2-5 lines: $215
- 6-9 lines: $290
- 10-15 lines: $370
- 16-20 lines: $455
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
If a contractor files an EEO complaint, your agency may be liable. The federal-sector EEO process is not exclusively limited to civil service employees. Contractors can file EEO complaints if the agency is determined to be a “joint employer.” How do you determine if you are a joint employer? Join FELTG as we cover the Ma factors; applying the Ma test; roles and responsibilities of agency personnel when contractors start the EEO process; defenses to the “joint employer” allegation; and the common questions and answers that arise from agencies dealing with contractors.
This is the third webinar in a four-part series on Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process.
1
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by April 28, 2020):
- 1 line: $100
- 2-5 lines: $185
- 6-9 lines: $260
- 10-15 lines: $340
- 16-20 lines: $425
- Standard Tuition (payments made April 29, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $115
- 2-5 lines: $215
- 6-9 lines: $290
- 10-15 lines: $370
- 16-20 lines: $455
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
The federal workforce is full of incredibly talented and dedicated law enforcement personnel across many agencies. Like all federal employees, these LEOs deserve a workplace free of toxic and misbehaving coworkers. Ann Boehm, who spent most of her 26 years as a government attorney with federal law enforcement agencies, will explain how conduct standards for LEOs may differ from other feds, and she will highlight the Douglas factors that are of specific importance when disciplining officers. This 60-minute webinar will also cover off-duty misconduct, Giglio determinations, and what to do when LEOs commit felonies. This is the final webinar in the three-part Navigating Challenges in the Discipline Process series.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by May 5, 2020):
- 1 line: $100
- 2-5 lines: $185
- 6-9 lines: $260
- 10-15 lines: $340
- 16-20 lines: $425
- Standard Tuition (payments made May 6, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $115
- 2-5 lines: $215
- 6-9 lines: $290
- 10-15 lines: $370
- 16-20 lines: $455
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructors
Course Description
If one of your employees had a behavioral health crisis in the workplace, would you know what to do? This isn’t a far-fetched scenario. One in six workers are experiencing mental health problems at any time, according to recent studies. Crisis management in the federal workplace is a critical area to understand – it is truly life and death. And with the current COVID-19 global pandemic, uncertainty about the world – combined with social isolation – has more people struggling than ever before.
This 90-minute webinar, led by Licensed Clinical Social Worker Shana Palmieri, will provide you with an understanding of mental and behavioral health conditions and the impact they have on the individual, as well as strategies to effectively provide supervision and management to ensure a productive workplace. Learn to walk that tenuous line between providing accommodations and support for a mental health condition and holding employees accountable for their work performance.
Attendees will leave this webinar with strategies to:
- Improve performance and success for employees with mental health conditions.
- Effectively accommodate employees with behavioral health conditions.
- Set appropriate boundaries and expectations in the workplace.
This class focuses on the practical and clinical side of managing employees with behavioral health conditions, rather than the legal side. You won’t want to miss it.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by May 19, 2020):
- 1 line: $120
- 2-5 lines: $205
- 6-9 lines: $280
- 10-15 lines: $360
- 16-20 lines: $445
- Standard Tuition (payments made May 20, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $135
- 2-5 lines: $235
- 6-9 lines: $3100
- 10-15 lines: $390
- 16-20 lines: $485
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
FELTG is making its webinars easier to access during the COVID-19 closures and emergency telework scheduling, to ensure that proper training is still available when the majority of employees are working at home. Contact us at 844.283.3584 or [email protected] to find out how you can bring FELTG’s off-the-shelf or custom webinars directly to your agency.
Instructor
Course Description
Failure to interview any of the witnesses identified by the complainant? Yes, it’s happened. Failure to investigate the complainant’s overriding claim? Yes, that too has happened. The EEOC has seen its fair share of bad investigations in recent years. Join FELTG for this final installment of our Navigating Challenges in the EEO Process series. This 60-minute webinar will explain how to keep integrity in the EEO process and review the following topics: Characteristics of a legally sufficient investigation; investigatory standards – impartiality, appropriateness, evidence-based investigation; relevant documents and witnesses; reviewing the investigation.
1
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by May 26, 2020):
- 1 line: $100
- 2-5 lines: $185
- 6-9 lines: $260
- 10-15 lines: $340
- 16-20 lines: $425
- Standard Tuition (payments made May 27, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $115
- 2-5 lines: $215
- 6-9 lines: $290
- 10-15 lines: $370
- 16-20 lines: $455
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
If there’s one issue that comes up in every training class regardless of the audience or topic, it’s Reasonable Accommodation in the federal workplace. Now’s your chance to attend a two-day event focused entirely on appropriately and legally handling reasonable accommodation requests, including the more complicated scenarios where there’s not an easy answer. FELTG’s Virtual Training Institute proudly presents Reasonable Accommodation Spotlight: Challenges and Trends in Federal Agencies.
Let FELTG’s experienced instructors guide you through the complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, and show you the best ways to avoid pitfalls, so that your agency provides appropriate, useful, and legally-defensible accommodations for individuals who are entitled to receive them. Covering everything from the foundations of the law to challenges such as providing accommodations to teleworkers, allowing emotional support animals in the workplace, accommodating stress, properly handling requests for medical documentation, and including the very latest EEOC guidance on COVID-19 and more, this is a class you can’t afford to miss. Plus, you’ll have multiple opportunities to ask your Reasonable Accommodation questions – and get answers in real time.
This program runs from 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm eastern each day, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 pm.
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Who Should Attend
Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; EEO counselors and investigators; federal supervisors and managers who have employees with reasonable accommodation requests; attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; union representatives.
Agenda
Tuesday, June 16 – Reasonable Accommodation: The Foundations and Challenges
12:30 – 4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00 – 2:30), with Instructor Meghan Droste
Course topics: Overview of Reasonable Accommodation law and the Reasonable Accommodation process; the “regarded as” provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act; a closer look at complicated cases involving determining essential functions, the definition of qualified individual, agency obligations during the interactive process, and undue hardship claims.
Wednesday, June 17 – Reasonable Accommodation Trends
12:30 – 4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00 – 2:30), with Instructor Katherine Atkinson
Course topics: Requests for telework, flexible work schedules, and leave as Reasonable Accommodation; accommodating the commute; accommodating stress; handling requests for a new supervisor as accommodation; accommodating service animals vs. emotional support animals in the workplace; medical documentation; medical exams and inquiries; updated COVID-19 guidance from EEOC.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 per session, $560 for both sessions (register by June 5).
- Standard Tuition: $330 per session, $595 for both sessions (register June 6-17).
- Rates per registrant. No split registrations.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast its Virtual Training Institute events. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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.
- Can I earn CLE credits or EEO refresher training 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. Attendees may also request a certificate for EEO refresher hours upon completion of this program.
- 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 June 5.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Course Description
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.
But what if those employees are not in the physical workspace, and instead are working remotely, as most federal employees currently are (and most will likely be for the foreseeable future)? FELTG President and attorney at law Deborah Hopkins will address and provide guidance on handling employee conduct and performance issues during a pandemic.
Over the course of 75 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will address challenges such as remote employees, who:
- Refuse to report to duty after the agency re-opens.
- Misuse technology or violate time and attendance protocols.
- Fail to perform their critical element(s) at an acceptable level.
Many employees are thriving under remote work, but others continue to struggle with performance. 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 a non-performer should be put on a demonstration period during emergency telework.
- Manage a demonstration period remotely.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by June 22, 2020):
- 1 line: $140
- 2-5 lines: $225
- 6-9 lines: $300
- 10-15 lines: $385
- 16-20 lines: $465
- Standard Tuition (payments made June 23, 2020 or later):
- 1 line: $165
- 2-5 lines: $260
- 6-9 lines: $340
- 10-15 lines: $420
- 16-20 lines: $495
Additional teleworkers may be added for $40 each, if space is available.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
COVID-19. Workplace harassment. Union negotiations. Telework. Mental health crises. These are just a few of the issues federal agencies are working through in 2020.
Navigating your role in the modern federal workplace requires not just the legal knowledge, but also the practical skills to handle the most intense and challenging situations. And the challenges you face today may not be the same as the challenges you faced last week, last month, or last year. And if that weren’t enough, there’s now a global pandemic to contend with.
For example, do you know what to do in the following scenarios?
- An employee with bipolar disorder is having a manic episode in the workplace.
- An employee threatens violence or suicide after the social isolation caused by COVID-19 has taken its toll.
- An employee claims she is being sexually harassed by one of your best performers.
- You’ve heard reports that another manager is bullying an employee.
- Your entire team is working remotely, but you need to meet with everyone to discuss a project or deadline.
- An employee is wasting time on social media when he is supposed to be working.
- The union is using abrasive language directed at agency leadership and management officials.
We will provide you the specific legal, practical and clinical guidance you need to reply effectively in these and many other difficult situations during our updated-for-2020 Emerging Issues Week. You’ll gain the tools to better understand how to:
- Deal with employees who are experiencing mental and behavioral health issues.
- Handle sexual harassment and bullying claims.
- Interact with the union in an effective way.
- Manage a mobile workforce and handle reasonable accommodation requests.
- Deal with threats of violence – from suicide to mass shootings – in the federal workplace.
Who Should Attend
Attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; federal supervisors and managers; security officers; union representatives.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Shana Palmieri, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm
Daily Agenda:
Monday, July 20
Handling Behavioral Health Issues: Course topics: An overview of the ADA/ADAAA and Rehabilitation Act requirements on accommodating individuals with invisible disabilities – with a focus on mental impairments and other behavioral health issues; types of mental disabilities and how they may exhibit in the workplace; accommodations for behavioral health-related disabilities; working with employees who have PTSD, handling substance abuse misuse and disorders; last chance agreements; dos and don’ts when working with employees who have behavioral health issues.
Tuesday, July 21
Dealing with Threats of Violence: Course topics: Handling the psychiatric emergency in the workplace; threatening behavior and the direct threat analysis; myths and facts about targeted violence in the workplace; dealing with suicidal employees; individual characteristics that put an employee at higher risk of committing an act of violence; how to develop and implement an in-house threat management team to deal with threat assessments, risk management, and the best ways to keep employees safe during a crisis; steps to take if someone becomes violent in the workplace.
Wednesday, July 22
Harassment Allegations and Investigations: Course topics: Differentiating between EEO and non-EEO harassment; protected categories; avenues of redress for the aggrieved; investigating harassment allegations; developing an investigative plan; dealing with difficult witnesses; witness and management rights during the investigation stage; agency obligations; the intersection with criminal investigations; bullying; special considerations in light of #MeToo and #TimesUp.
Thursday, July 23
The Nontraditional Workplace: Telework, Reasonable Accommodation, and Technology Challenges: Accountability tools for managing a mobile workforce; updated COVID-19 telework guidance from OPM, the White House, and EEOC; return to work challenges in the wake of COVID-19; handling requests for telework, leave, or flexible schedules as reasonable accommodation; challenges with technology in the federal workplace including technology-related misconduct.
Friday, July 24
Working in a Unionized Environment: What every supervisor and advisor should know about federal labor unions; collective bargaining agreements; official time; LR meetings; an overview of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute; fundamental employee, union, and management rights; unfair labor practices; controlling official time; handling information requests; the current status of the Executive Orders.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition (register by July 6):
- 5 days = $2190
- 4 days = $1795
- 3 days = $1385
- 2 days = $980
- 1 day = $540
Standard Tuition (register July 7 – July 24):
- 5 days = $2290
- 4 days = $1895
- 3 days = $1485
- 2 days = $1080
- 1 day = $640
Seminar registration includes a printed copy of the materials. In order to receive materials by the training date, please register by July 6 and provide a shipping address. Registrations received after July 6 will also receive printed materials, but materials are not guaranteed to arrive by the training date.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 July 6.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
Counselors and investigators, here’s a little secret: The eight hours of refresher training that you are required to receive every year does not have to be the same old boring training. FELTG believes that your eight-hour refresher training can and should be interesting, engaging and compelling.
By attending five courses during FELTG’s summer conference-like virtual training Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends you’ll be able to earn all eight of your hours and receive critical guidance on important EEO topics, such as: EEO timelines, best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses, trends in reasonable accommodation, the very latest on sexual orientation and gender discrimination, what happens when disabilities and FMLA overlap, and more. Plus, you’ll get the chance to ask questions of the resident authorities who collectively have seen almost everything in the world of EEO. Attendees will also receive a certificate of attendance verifying they’ve met the annual training requirement. We hope to see you there.
At-a-Glance Schedule
- Monday, July 27: 12:30 – 4:00 pm eastern (3 refresher hours)
- Wednesday, July 29: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm eastern (5 refresher hours)
Who Should Attend
EEO Counselors and EEO Investigators; others with an interest in EEO law are welcome to attend
Download Individual Registration Form
Monday, July 27, 2020
Counselor & Investigator Refresher Jump Start
Pre-session
12:30 – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2-2:30)
What Every Counselor and Investigator Needs to Know in 2020
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 3 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours)
Hey counselors and investigators! FELTG’s special event Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends provides an opportunity for you to pick up your mandatory annual refresher training with useful, timely, and engaging guidance. Ms. Atkinson kicks things off with an in-depth presentation on the foundational issues that EEO professionals need to know – everything from jurisdiction and pre-complaint counseling considerations, to best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand timeliness issues like tolling and estoppel.
- Identify the appropriate bases for dismissing a complaint.
- Prepare and conduct effective witness interviews.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Handling EEO Challenges
Session 5
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Reasonable Accommodation in 75 Minutes
Presented by Dwight Lewis, former EEOC Chief AJ/Dallas Region, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
As the Chief Administrative Judge of the EEOC’s Dallas Region for many years, Dwight Lewis saw his fair share of cases where agencies made reasonable accommodation mistakes. In this fast-paced session, Mr. Lewis will prepare you to be better equipped to navigate the reasonable accommodation process and avoid those mistakes he’s seen so often. The session will cover everything from defining a disability to determining undue hardship, and will highlight the importance of the interactive process in determining what accommodation is reasonable.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Effectively navigate the interactive process.
- Determine when telework would be an appropriate accommodation.
- Explain who gets to choose the accommodation, and why
Session 6
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Transgender Discrimination
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
The Supreme Court will be handing down a decision on the Zarda, Bostock, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes cases before thistraining event. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will share her analysis of the High Court ruling and explain the impact it will have on the federal workplace. Over 75 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will also bring you up to speed on the law, gender stereotyping as sex discrimination, same-sex discrimination, harassment not motivated by sexual desire, and much more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the statutory authorities that prohibit sex-based discrimination.
- Define terms and concepts that apply to LGBTQ+ employees.
- Identify actions that get agencies into EEO trouble.
Session 7
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
When the ADA and FMLA Collide
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Explain the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability.
- Handle excessive absences under FMLA.
- Request the appropriate medical documentation, without violating employee rights to confidentiality.
Session 8
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Navigating the Morass of Mixed Cases
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Few things create as much confusion among even experienced federal attorneys, EEO specialists, or HR professionals as mixed cases. We are here to help. Join Bob Woods as he untangles this often-complicated area when MSPB and EEOC both have potential jurisdiction over a case. What do you do when a mixed case lands on your desk? You’ll learn if you attend this session.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss procedural options for processing mixed cases.
- Identify potential jurisdictional issues in mixed case processing.
- Explain the role of the Special Panel.
Pricing
- Early bird price is $725.
- See registration for full pricing details.
- Early Bird discounts available until July 15!
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 EEO refresher registration option. Group discounts are available through July 15.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
Summer heralds the arrival of warmer weather, and with it the federal conference season. But with a pandemic not yet behind us, you may be wary of attending a crowded function or, perhaps, you find that getting approval for travel is even more difficult than usual. In fact, the pandemic is making the possibility of attending summer federal conferences less likely each day.
There’s no need to despair, and no need to give up on high-quality training: join the virtual FELTG Forum this summer, from wherever you’re working. FELTG’s experienced and widely respected instructors come together for a training event focused on making sure you’re prepared to effectively manage the federal employment challenges that are new, complicated, and critical to your and your agency’s success. Plus, unlike a conference where you have to register for the full event, this training event allows attendees to register for only the sessions they prefer to attend. It’s better than a conference!
Whether you’re a supervisor, HR professional, EEO practitioner or an attorney, this event has something for you. Attendees will receive clear strategies and straight-forward guidance for holding employees accountable for performance and conduct, deftly handling the most complex EEO challenges, and identifying and handling those pesky issues that are new — or will be soon enough. Along the way, EEO counselors and investigators can earn their annual refresher hours, and attorneys can pick up CLEs, including two hours for their legal ethics requirements.
And here’s the best part: You can select whichever sessions you want. Join us for the whole event. Or join us for one day, or just one session. It’s up to you.
Avoid the crowds. Save your agency money. And get the important training you need from instructors you trust.
Who Should Attend
Attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; federal supervisors and managers; security officers; union representatives.
Download Individual Registration Form
Monday, July 27, 2020
Counselor& Investigator Refresher Jump Start
Pre-session
12:30 – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2-2:30)
What Every Counselor and Investigator Needs to Know in 2020
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 3 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours)
Hey counselors and investigators! FELTG’s special event Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends provides an opportunity for you to pick up your mandatory annual refresher training with useful, timely, and engaging guidance. Ms. Atkinson kicks things off with an in-depth presentation on the foundational issues that EEO professionals need to know – everything from jurisdiction and pre-complaint counseling considerations, to best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses during a global pandemic.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand timeliness issues like tolling and estoppel.
- Identify the appropriate bases for dismissing a complaint.
- Prepare and conduct effective witness interviews.
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Spotlight on Accountability
Session 1
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
The Foundations of Accountability: Discipline and Performance
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
This session begins with a discussion on the foundation of supervisory authority, and it will clarify the too-common misconceptions that prevent federal agencies from taking successful misconduct and performance-based actions against employees. Attendees will learn the five elements that must be present in a disciplinary case, the principles for holding employees accountable to perform acceptably, and will leave with the guidance necessary to avoid the roadblocks that lead to actions that fail when under the scrutiny of the MSPB, EEOC, or in grievance arbitration.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Recognize the differences between performance and conduct.
- Identify the due process errors that doom a disciplinary or performance case.
- Successfully take a defensible disciplinary or performance-based action that complies with the law, regulations, and Executive Orders.
Session 2
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
Charges and Penalties in Disciplinary Cases
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
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 reasonable penalty determination. Yet many agencies still lose cases because of poorly drafted charges. This session 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.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss the MSPB and Federal Circuit lead cases involving penalty determination.
- Defend the penalty using the Douglas Factors – or related penalty defense factors.
- Draft effective proposal and decision letters.
Session 3
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference
Presented by Anthony Marchese, Ph.D., Coach/Author/Trainer, FELTG Instructor
There is one action you can take that, when done effectively, could have a major impact on your team’s morale and productivity, and that is providing employees with honest feedback – and not just at mid-year or annual review time. Especially crucial, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, is continuing to provide feedback to remote employees. This session presentation will equip participants to nurture a culture of candor, while exposing feedback myths and ineffective practices. Plus, you’ll learn how to have difficult conversations that produce actionable outcomes.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the best practices for nurturing a culture of healthy feedback.
- Prepare for routine and high-stakes conversations by learning to use a thoughtful approach to employee conversations.
- Distinguish between opposing mindsets and their impact upon how feedback is received/acted upon.
Session 4
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
What to Do When Performance Goes Bad
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
When it comes to the PIP, the DP, the ODAP, or whatever your agency calls it, a lot of the advice you get is BS. But not from FELTG. This session gets to the heart of how to handle performance challenges, for employees in the office or on telework status. Attendees will learn the FELTG-Way to manage an employee’s opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance. And if the employee fails the DP, attendees will be able to confidently, effectively, and quickly remove the employee for poor performance.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the required elements of performance cases.
- Implement a legally-sufficient opportunity period to demonstrate acceptable performance (formerly a PIP).
- Remove a poor performer in 31 days.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Handling EEO Challenges
Session 5
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Reasonable Accommodation in 75 Minutes
Presented by Dwight Lewis, former EEOC Chief AJ/Dallas Region, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
As the Chief Administrative Judge of the EEOC’s Dallas Region for many years, Dwight Lewis saw his fair share of cases where agencies made reasonable accommodation mistakes. In this fast-paced session, Mr. Lewis will prepare you to be better equipped to navigate the reasonable accommodation process and avoid those mistakes he’s seen so often. The session will cover everything from defining a disability to determining undue hardship, and will highlight the importance of the interactive process in determining what accommodation is reasonable.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Effectively navigate the interactive process.
- Determine when telework would be an appropriate accommodation.
- Explain who gets to choose the accommodation, and why.
Session 6
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Transgender Discrimination
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Zarda, Bostock, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes that definitively set the level of protection for LGBTQ employees in this country. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will share her analysis of the High Court ruling and explain the impact it has on the federal workplace. Over 75 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will also bring you up to speed on gender stereotyping as sex discrimination, same-sex discrimination, harassment not motivated by sexual desire, and much more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the statutory authorities that prohibit sex-based discrimination.
- Define terms and concepts that apply to LGBTQ+ employees.
- Identify actions that get agencies into EEO trouble.
Session 7
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
When the ADA and FMLA Collide
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. Add in the COVID-19 pandemic and you’ve got a complicated recipe that requires special attention. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Explain the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability.
- Handle excessive absences under FMLA.
- Request the appropriate medical documentation, without violating employee rights to confidentiality.
Session 8
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Navigating the Morass of Mixed Cases
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Few things create as much confusion among even experienced federal attorneys, EEO specialists, or HR professionals as mixed cases. We are here to help. Join Bob Woods as he untangles this often-complicated area when MSPB and EEOC both have potential jurisdiction over a case. What do you do when a mixed case lands on your desk? You’ll learn if you attend this session.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss procedural options for processing mixed cases.
- Identify potential jurisdictional issues in mixed case processing.
- Explain the role of the Special Panel.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Trends in Federal Employment Law
Session 9
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Performance and Conduct Problems During a Pandemic: Holding Remote Employees Accountable
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
One of the biggest challenges facing agencies during this COVID-19 pandemic – and its potential aftermath – is that so much of the workforce is no longer in the workplace. And with varying return to work orders across the country, there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to where things stand. How do you handle performance issues? What about conduct? What happens if an employee refuses to report for duty? While many employees are thriving under remote work, others continue to struggle with conduct or performance. It’s imperative to agency mission that you use the right tools to swiftly and effectively address these problems, regardless of where the employee is doing – or NOT doing – the actual work.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Follow the appropriate steps to discipline an employee for telework-related misconduct.
- Conduct a performance demonstration period while an employee is working remotely.
- Identify the agency’s options when an employee refuses to report for duty.
Session 10
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
Understanding and Working with Your Agency’s OIG
Presented by Scott Boehm, former Senior Intelligence Advisor/Department of Defense Inspector General, FELTG Instructor
Your agency’s Office of Inspector General employs investigators, auditors, evaluators, and, sometimes, armed special agents. Its mission is to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse, and promote economy, effectiveness, and efficiency of agency operations. It does so by investigating potential violations of law or misconduct and auditing or evaluating the agency’s operations and systems. If it sounds like your OIG’s mission may overlap or interconnect with your office’s mission, you’re right. So what happens when you’re investigating misconduct, and the OIG is investigating as well? What’s the role of the OIG if you uncover criminal behavior in the workplace? How does the OIG handle whistleblower disclosures? It’s important that you not only have a clear picture of what your agency’s OIG does, but also how to work with them. Now you have the chance to learn what you need to know.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Recognize the various types, purposes, and qualifications of Inspector Generals.
- Identify the agency information that the OIG has access to, and any limitations it has on that information.
- Determine whether an event or action triggers your responsibility
Session 11
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
EEO Trends in a COVID-19 World
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
The workplace has been turned upside down over the last few months as more than a million federal employees left their agency facilities to work from home. Now agencies are returning people to the workplace. Just because nobody was in the office for a while doesn’t mean that EEO problems have vanished, too. Ms. Atkinson will explain how applying the basic EEO framework can answer the current EEO issues you may be facing, such as providing telework as reasonable accommodation for people with underlying health conditions, agencies’ legal authority to administer medical exams related to COVID-19, and the virus-related problems agencies have seen lately regarding race and national origin discrimination.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the areas where COVID-19 and EEO intersect.
- Identify the elements of a direct threat analysis and how it applies to a global pandemic.
- Explain the scenarios where virus-related comments about race and national origin rise to the level of a hostile work environment.
Session 12
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Case Law Update: EEOC, FLRA, MSPB, and More
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
In the world of federal employment law, things can change quickly; there has been more action in the past three years than in the previous 35. Join FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm for a review of the most recent and relevant cases, regulations, studies and reports from the EEOC, FLRA and MSPB, plus information from OPM and the Office of Special Counsel and where things stand with the Executive Orders. Attendees will leave with knowledge of recent developments and with an in-depth analysis of the current employment law climate and its impact on the federal workplace.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the most critical recent decisions from the EEOC and FLRA.
- Explain the status and impact of President Trump’s Executive Orders regarding the federal workplace.
- Understand the current status of the MSPB and how the lack of quorum impacts agency actions and appeals.
Friday, July 31, 2020
Ethics
Post-session A
10:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
Ethics for the Government Attorney
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 2.0 CLE ethics credits)
You have to earn your Ethics CLE credits, so you might as well do it the FELTG way and really learn something. Ms. Boehm, who spent more than 25 years working in employment law at federal agencies, will provide content focused specifically for government attorneys. Ms. Boehm will discuss ethics in relation to defining the client, filings and pleadings, contractors, personal conduct and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to work their way through ethically challenging hypothetical scenarios and to ask questions, and get answers, from someone who has experienced the same challenges you’re facing today.
Pricing
- Early bird pricing for individual sessions start at $125. Daily and full event discounts available.
- Early bird EEO refresher track pricing is $725.
- See registration for full pricing details.
- Early Bird discounts available until July 15!
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 Main Access or Ethics All Access registration options only. Group discounts are available through July 15.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
Counselors and investigators, here’s a little secret: The eight hours of refresher training that you are required to receive every year does not have to be the same old boring training. FELTG believes that your eight-hour refresher training can and should be interesting, engaging and compelling.
By attending five courses during FELTG’s summer conference-like virtual training Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends you’ll be able to earn all eight of your hours and receive critical guidance on important EEO topics, such as: EEO timelines, best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses, trends in reasonable accommodation, the very latest on sexual orientation and gender discrimination, what happens when disabilities and FMLA overlap, and more. Plus, you’ll get the chance to ask questions of the resident authorities who collectively have seen almost everything in the world of EEO. Attendees will also receive a certificate of attendance verifying they’ve met the annual training requirement. We hope to see you there.
At-a-Glance Schedule
- Monday, July 27: 12:30 – 4:00 pm eastern (3 refresher hours)
- Wednesday, July 29: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm eastern (5 refresher hours)
Who Should Attend
EEO Counselors and EEO Investigators; others with an interest in EEO law are welcome to attend
Download Individual Registration Form
Monday, July 27, 2020
Counselor & Investigator Refresher Jump Start
Pre-session
12:30 – 4:00 pm EDT (break from 2-2:30)
What Every Counselor and Investigator Needs to Know in 2020
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 3 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours)
Hey counselors and investigators! FELTG’s special event Federal Workplace 2020: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends provides an opportunity for you to pick up your mandatory annual refresher training with useful, timely, and engaging guidance. Ms. Atkinson kicks things off with an in-depth presentation on the foundational issues that EEO professionals need to know – everything from jurisdiction and pre-complaint counseling considerations, to best practices for interviewing complainants and witnesses.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand timeliness issues like tolling and estoppel.
- Identify the appropriate bases for dismissing a complaint.
- Prepare and conduct effective witness interviews.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Handling EEO Challenges
Session 5
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Reasonable Accommodation in 75 Minutes
Presented by Dwight Lewis, former EEOC Chief AJ/Dallas Region, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
As the Chief Administrative Judge of the EEOC’s Dallas Region for many years, Dwight Lewis saw his fair share of cases where agencies made reasonable accommodation mistakes. In this fast-paced session, Mr. Lewis will prepare you to be better equipped to navigate the reasonable accommodation process and avoid those mistakes he’s seen so often. The session will cover everything from defining a disability to determining undue hardship, and will highlight the importance of the interactive process in determining what accommodation is reasonable.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Effectively navigate the interactive process.
- Determine when telework would be an appropriate accommodation.
- Explain who gets to choose the accommodation, and why
Session 6
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
The Latest on Sexual Orientation and Transgender Discrimination
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
The Supreme Court will be handing down a decision on the Zarda, Bostock, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes cases before thistraining event. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will share her analysis of the High Court ruling and explain the impact it will have on the federal workplace. Over 75 minutes, Ms. Hopkins will also bring you up to speed on the law, gender stereotyping as sex discrimination, same-sex discrimination, harassment not motivated by sexual desire, and much more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the statutory authorities that prohibit sex-based discrimination.
- Define terms and concepts that apply to LGBTQ+ employees.
- Identify actions that get agencies into EEO trouble.
Session 7
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
When the ADA and FMLA Collide
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Navigating the FMLA is one of the most complex challenges a federal agency can face unless, of course, it is navigating the ADA at the same time. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will compare and contrast coverage under the FMLA and coverage under the ADA, discuss the tricky role of medical documentation, and review leave under the FMLA and as a reasonable accommodation.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Explain the difference between a serious health condition and an ADA disability.
- Handle excessive absences under FMLA.
- Request the appropriate medical documentation, without violating employee rights to confidentiality.
Session 8
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Navigating the Morass of Mixed Cases
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor.
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Few things create as much confusion among even experienced federal attorneys, EEO specialists, or HR professionals as mixed cases. We are here to help. Join Bob Woods as he untangles this often-complicated area when MSPB and EEOC both have potential jurisdiction over a case. What do you do when a mixed case lands on your desk? You’ll learn if you attend this session.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss procedural options for processing mixed cases.
- Identify potential jurisdictional issues in mixed case processing.
- Explain the role of the Special Panel.
Pricing
- Early bird price is $725.
- See registration for full pricing details.
- Early Bird discounts available until July 15!
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Webex 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 EEO refresher registration option. Group discounts are available through July 15.