Instructor
Course Description
The federal workplace is making a big U-turn. So many changes are taking place at such a quick pace, that the only way for agencies to survive and thrive is through leadership and coordination.
Join FELTG Instructor Scott Boehm for this important webinar. He will explain how your agency’s Office of Inspector General can play a critical role in helping you navigate these changes. But this is not a one-way discussion. Those who work in your agency’s OIG will learn what they can do to foster this coordination. So whether you work in an OIG or you’re an attorney, HR professional, EEO specialist or supervisor, this webinar will help you face the challenging situations brought about by the new Administration’s change in direction.
Your agency’s OIG employs investigators, auditors, evaluators, and, sometimes, armed special agents. Its mission is to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse, and promote economy, effectiveness, and efficiency of agency operations. It does so by investigating potential violations of law or misconduct and auditing or evaluating the agency’s operations and systems.
Attendees will leave with a clear picture of how the HR, EEO, and General Counsel offices can work effectively with the OIG to bring about effective change to skillfully meet agency mission.
- Recognize the various types, purposes, and qualifications of Inspector Generals.
- Identify the agency information that the OIG has access to, and any limitations it has on that information.
- Determine whether an event or action triggers your responsibility
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by June 14).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made June 15 or later).
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
The country and its workplaces are eyeing a return to pre-pandemic normalcy. But normal didn’t equate to perfect before COVID-19, and it won’t be that way after. As virus-related restrictions began to ease in recent weeks, news networks shifted their focus to a string of deadly violence across the country. The network attention was new, but the violence wasn’t. It had been on the upswing before the pandemic even arrived.
It’s not hyperbole to suggest that a violent threat (whether by gun, knife, vehicle, bomb, or mob) in or near your workplace would be the most demanding and traumatic situation you’ve ever faced. Unfortunately, the federal government is not immune from this violence, as recent events at the Capitol illustrate. This training aims to provide you with the knowledge and foresight to be as prepared as you can be.
During this special 2-hour event, you will learn how to:
- Efficiently and effectively address threats of violence made by an employee, customer, known entity, or stranger with anti-government motivations.
- Understand the role of Federal law enforcement in managing a crisis.
- Implement best practices for workplace safety.
This special FELTG Town Hall is a rare opportunity to discuss this difficult topic as it applies specifically to the federal workplace. It’s a must-attend for Law Enforcement Officers, HR directors, L/ER specialists, EEO professionals, agency counsel, supervisors, union officials, and employees, or anyone else in your agency who wants to learn about bystander intervention, de-escalation techniques, and other tools for handling threats of violence.
Our panel provides unique experience and expertise. As co-founder and a senior vice president at Xferall, Shana Palmieri has more than 15 issues of direct clinical experience in areas including emergency psychiatric assessment and treatment, domestic violence, chronic homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorders. Attorney at Law Deborah Hopkins is president of FELTG and co-author of UnCivil Servant: Holding Employees Accountable for Performance and Conduct. And the majority of Ann Boehm’s 26-year career as a government attorney was spent in law enforcement organizations.
This LIVE event also provides several opportunities to ask questions.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 (register by June 11).
- Standard Tuition: $345 (register by June 12-28).
- Rates per registrant.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast 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 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.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through June 11.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
President Biden’s Executive Orders on the Federal Workplace. OPM’s recent guidance. A new focus on diversity and inclusion. A recent decision that broke 40 years of precedent to require agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period. FELTG’s annual webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions can help you and your supervisors get up to speed on the changing nature of the federal workplace.
FELTG’s talented team of engaging and experienced instructors will teach 14 60-minute webinars every two weeks from March through the end of August. The webinars are updated to provide a comprehensive curriculum for those who supervisor federal employees. Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions addresses the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing at the moment. Courses are taught on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse. Those who attend can rest assured that they are well-prepared to face the new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
There is no other training available that provides the depth and breadth of guidance that federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
You can register for one, several, or all of the courses in the series. The webinars will be held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, and will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2021 dates:
March 9: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 23: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
April 6: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
April 20: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
May 4: Handling an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; recent decision requiring agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period; executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
May 18: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
June 1: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues.
June 15: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 29: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 13: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
July 27: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 10: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
August 24: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
August 31: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by March 1).
- Special series discounts available through March 1: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made March 2 or later).
Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $50 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Have a large group teleworking? Contact FELTG for information on group discounts.
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.
Instructors
Course Description
You don’t have to necessarily be ready to return all employees to the office. But you better have a plan. And it better be in writing. The Biden administration is giving you until July 19 to submit that finalized plan with reentry and post-reentry policies and procedures.
A successful return to the physical workplace plan is going to require more than the safety measures, as there are numerous HR-, EEO-, and legal-related challenges that will need to be addressed in your plan.
Time is winding down. Let FELTG help.
On June 30, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins and instructor Ann Boehm share all of the details you need to consider to successfully return your employees to the physical workspace. While safety is key, your initiatives must “satisfy applicable collective-bargaining obligations and provide ample notice to any employees who will be returning to the physical workplace, who will have altered work schedules, or who will otherwise have altered work circumstances, consistent with the agency’s intended post-reentry work environment.”
Ms. Hopkins and Ms. Boehm will address the challenges you’re likely to face so that they can be adequately addressed in your return-to-work plan. How will you handle leave for those employees who are unable to physically return? What EEO implications must be considered? Can you require that employees be vaccinated? What flexibilities can you offer for those whose child or elder care responsibilities make it difficult to return? How do you charge someone who refuses to report?
This 75-minute webinar will not only provide the answers to these questions, but will give ample time for you to ask our presenters about your own specific challenges.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made by June 18).
- Standard Tuition: $335 per site, per session (payment made June 19-30).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructor
Course Description
In this 60-minute webinar, FELTG instructor Ann Boehm will identify and discuss when the law requires you to provide the union an opportunity to be involved in discussions, focusing on the requirements for a meeting to be considered a formal discussion, the union’s rights and responsibilities when it comes to meetings, what to do when an employee requests union representation for a meeting, and more.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Determine whether a right to representation is the union’s right or the employee’s
- Ensure managers know what are legitimate representational rights for bargaining unit members.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by June 21): $240
- Standard Tuition (payment made by June 22 or later): $270
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Course Description
As agencies prepare to return their employees to the physical workspace, many questions remain. And, unsurprisingly, considering the EEOC’s recent announcement that employers can require vaccinations, most of the questions are related to those possible life-saving shots in the arm. While the White House’s current guidance seems to indicate that vaccines won’t generally be a requirement before a return to the Federal workplace, that word “generally” contains a whole realm of potential exceptions. What about health care workers? Employees who work in close proximity to one another, or to the public? Are agencies permitted to mandate vaccines for certain categories of employees?
Do agencies have to provide a reasonable accommodation of permanent telework for an employee who refuses to get the vaccine for religious reasons? If it’s for health reasons, can you require medical documentation as proof? What if the employee’s position description requires travel, where proof of vaccination may be required?
If you’re looking for answers to these or other vaccine-related questions, join FELTG Instructor and Attorney at Law Katherine Atkinson as she provides the answers and talks the class through how to respond to employee requests for exemptions to a vaccine requirement.
Those who attend this 75-minute webinar, will learn how to:
- Respond to an employee’s request for a vaccine exemption.
- Determine whether an employee’s religion or medical condition warrants an exemption and whether a reasonable accommodation is appropriate.
- Understand when it’s appropriate to ask for medical documentation.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made by June 30).
- Standard Tuition: $335 per site, per session (payment made July 1-12).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
President Biden’s Executive Orders on the Federal Workplace. OPM’s recent guidance. A new focus on diversity and inclusion. A recent decision that broke 40 years of precedent to require agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period. FELTG’s annual webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions can help you and your supervisors get up to speed on the changing nature of the federal workplace.
FELTG’s talented team of engaging and experienced instructors will teach 14 60-minute webinars every two weeks from March through the end of August. The webinars are updated to provide a comprehensive curriculum for those who supervisor federal employees. Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions addresses the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing at the moment. Courses are taught on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse. Those who attend can rest assured that they are well-prepared to face the new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
There is no other training available that provides the depth and breadth of guidance that federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
You can register for one, several, or all of the courses in the series. The webinars will be held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, and will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2021 dates:
March 9: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 23: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
April 6: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
April 20: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
May 4: Handling an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; recent decision requiring agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period; executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
May 18: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
June 1: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues.
June 15: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 29: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 13: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
July 27: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 10: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
August 24: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
August 31: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by March 1).
- Special series discounts available through March 1: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made March 2 or later).
Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $50 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Have a large group teleworking? Contact FELTG for information on group discounts.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
1
FELTG kicks off its five-part webinar series Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace with an overview of the the current state of disability law and how the ADA, ADAAA, and Rehabilitation Act apply to federal employees with disabilities. Before you can appropriately manage the complex reasonable accommodation requests you’re likely to receive in the next few months, you need a thorough understanding of the basics. Attendees will learn about:
- Making disability determinations
- What “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.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
One of the most important and complex areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, whether it’s to qualified individuals with disabilities or for individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs. And the pandemic has made these laws even trickier and more important than usual.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is more than ten years old; the ADA is more than 30, and the Rehabilitation Act is nearing 50. However, too many agencies continue to follow outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Yet, times change, and we learn new information about medical conditions, while new medications and treatments raise different issues. Technological advances create opportunities that previously didn’t exist. And once-in-a-lifetime pandemics create new, multifaceted challenges.
Updated for 2021, FELTG’s annual five-part series on reasonable accommodation provides an opportunity to re-familiarize yourself with the critical foundation of disability law, and apply it to the ever-evolving federal workplace. The series will tackle everything from the basics of the law to challenges, such as providing accommodations to teleworkers and accommodating invisible disabilities. You’ll learn from the mistakes others have made, as well as how the law differs for religious accommodation. Attend one session, or attend them all.
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation Overview and Analysis (July 15)
Session 2: Accommodating Invisible Disabilities (July 22)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation (July 29)
Session 4: Reasonable Accommodation: The Mistakes Agencies Make (August 5)
Session 5: Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodations (August 12)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240.00 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270.00 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 2 and pay only $1,150.00!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructor
Course Description
A few weeks ago the MSPB released a report called Agency Leader Responsibilities Related to Prohibited Personnel Practices. As part of the report, MSPB has mandated training for agency supervisors and employees on whistleblowing, prohibited personnel practices, and the new disciplinary procedures required under the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act (Kirkpatrick Act) at 5 U.S.C. § 7515.
In some ways, Kirkpatrick discipline looks like traditional Chapter 75 discipline, but in other ways it varies significantly. Don’t be caught unaware. Join FELTG President Deborah Hopkins as she explains all the specifics.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the reasoning behind Kirkpatrick discipline, and the role of the agency head in such actions.
- Identify the three specific PPPs at issue in Kirkpatrick discipline cases.
- Employ the specific requirements for discipline against management officials who reprise against whistleblowers.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (payment required by July 9): $285
- Standard Tuition (payment made by July or later): $315
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing behavioral and mental health crisis in this country. Almost 18 percent of all adults have a behavioral health diagnosis at some point in their lives. After a year of isolation, new work processes, heightened responsibilities, and political minefields, employees with a mental health diagnosis will soon be returning to the physical workplace.
On April 30, OPM released a memo on the importance of mental health and the well-being of Federal employees: “Awareness of mental health supports for Federal employees is an important element of protecting employee well-being and sustaining a high performing Federal workforce.”
What are you doing to prepare yourself and your agency for the influx of challenges you’ll face as all employees return, particularly those with a mental health diagnosis? If one of your employees had a mental health crisis in the workplace, would you know what to do? What if employee in crisis is working from home?
This virtual training program will provide highly practical guidance and straight-forward advice on dealing with the very unique challenges you face, as some employees continue to telework, while others make their way back to the workplace.
Licensed Clinical Social Work Shana Palmieri will de-stigmatize the truth about “mental illness” and will explain the impact various mental health conditions have on individuals, and those with whom they work. She’ll also provide strategies for effectively supervising and managing employees with these conditions, whether they’re in the office or working remotely.
Ms. Palmieri will answer challenging questions like:
- What do you do if you suspect a mental health crisis and the employee won’t answer his phone?
- How do you provide constructive criticism to someone who exhibits narcissistic behavior?
- If you suspect that one of your employees has a mental impairment, what can you do beyond directing them to EAP?
- What are the symptoms of a personality disorder?
Attendees will learn how to walk the tenuous line between providing accommodations and support for a mental health condition and holding employees accountable for their work performance. Attend this timely virtual training event and learn strategies to:
- Improve performance and success for employees with mental health conditions.
- Communicate effectively with all employees.
- Successfully accommodate employees with behavioral health conditions.
- Set appropriate boundaries and expectations in the workplace.
- Handle a crisis or outburst in the workplace.
This class focuses on the practical and clinical side of managing employees with behavioral health conditions, rather than the legal side. It will be held from 1:00 – 4:30pm ET. You won’t want to miss it.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $340 (register by July 6).
- Standard Tuition: $380 (register by July 7-21).
- Rates per registrant.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Zoom to broadcast this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Zoom access. If for some reason your firewall will not allow access, you’re welcome to use your personal email address to register, and to attend the sessions from your personal device.
- Can I share my access link with co-workers?
- No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
- Can I register a teleworker?
- This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through July 6.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructor
Course Description
1
Numerous disabilities, such as chronic pain and diabetes, are not always visible or obvious in the workplace. As the federal workforce ages, the number of employees with hidden disabilities continues to grow. And as a result of the pandemic, you’re likely to see more requests for respiratory illnesses and COVID-related conditions, such as chronic fatigue.
Providing reasonable accommodation for so-called invisible disabilities is going to be a major challenge for HR professionals, supervisors, and the people who advise them.
In the second webinar of our Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace series 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.
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.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
One of the most important and complex areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, whether it’s to qualified individuals with disabilities or for individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs. And the pandemic has made these laws even trickier and more important than usual.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is more than ten years old; the ADA is more than 30, and the Rehabilitation Act is nearing 50. However, too many agencies continue to follow outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Yet, times change, and we learn new information about medical conditions, while new medications and treatments raise different issues. Technological advances create opportunities that previously didn’t exist. And once-in-a-lifetime pandemics create new, multifaceted challenges.
Updated for 2021, FELTG’s annual five-part series on reasonable accommodation provides an opportunity to re-familiarize yourself with the critical foundation of disability law, and apply it to the ever-evolving federal workplace. The series will tackle everything from the basics of the law to challenges, such as providing accommodations to teleworkers and accommodating invisible disabilities. You’ll learn from the mistakes others have made, as well as how the law differs for religious accommodation. Attend one session, or attend them all.
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation Overview and Analysis (July 15)
Session 2: Accommodating Invisible Disabilities (July 22)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation (July 29)
Session 4: Reasonable Accommodation: The Mistakes Agencies Make (August 5)
Session 5: Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodations (August 12)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240.00 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270.00 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 2 and pay only $1,150.00!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
Welcome to the post-pandemic workplace. We’ve focused our weeklong Managing Federal Employee Accountability program and made it even more timely and useful, specific to challenges your agencies are facing in 2021. If you’re a federal supervisor, an adviser in L/ER or legal, or a union representative, you can’t afford to miss this program.
This week of half-day programs covers a range of topics including:
- Employee accountability for conduct and performance
- Managing leave abuse
- Handling EEO challenges related to COVID-19
- Complaints of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin
- Handling Telework requests as employees return to the office
On the fifth and final day of training, attendees will apply all they’ve learned from the previous four days to handle these challenges in remote work environments.
This open enrollment FELTG Virtual Training Institute program offers opportunities to ask questions of FELTG’s experienced instructors, and get answers in real time. Registrants can attend the full week, or select which days they’d like to attend.
This program runs from 12:30 – 4:00 PM ET each day, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 PM ET.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Katherine Atkinson, Ann Boehm
Daily Agenda:
Monday, July 26
Understanding Misconduct: Disciplinary Charges and Penalties:
- Legal foundations of disciplinary actions
- The five elements of discipline
- Drafting defensible charges and penalties under a new MSPB
Tuesday, July 27
Maximizing Accountability in Performance:
- The legislative and regulatory background
- Environment, system requirements, elements and standards
- Understanding the difference between conduct and performance feedback
- Writing effective performance plans, MSPB case law on performance plans
- Within-grade increases
- Performance demonstration periods, taking action on unacceptable performance
Wednesday, July 28
Handling Employee Leave Issues:
- General principles regarding leave
- Approval/disapproval of annual leave
- New provisions for Emergency Paid Sick Leave for COVID-19 in 2021
- Accrual of sick leave, eligibility to use sick leave, uses of leave for family care, notification requirements
- Sick leave documentation requirements, discretion in approving sick leave and sick leave abuse, employee eligibility to use FMLA
- Requesting FMLA leave, medical certification requirements, substitution of paid leave, Paid Parental Leave
- Other leave types – LWOP, Disabled Veteran Leave, Leave Transfer, and AWOL.
Thursday, July 29
EEO and COVID-19 in the Federal Workplace:
- Determining whether an employee with COVID-19 or pre-existing respiratory sensitivities should receive a reasonable accommodation
- Taking action against pandemic-related harassment and discrimination
- Discrimination based on race, color, or national origin
Friday, July 30
The 2021 Telework Challenge:
- Holding teleworkers and other remote workers accountable for performance and conduct
- Special telework performance and conduct challenges
- OPM’s telework flexibilities; telework as reasonable accommodation
- Agency options when employees refuse to report to the physical workplace
Price
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
Early Bird Tuition (register by July 9):
- 1 day = $345
- 2 days = $630
- 3 days = $910
- 4 days = $1195
- 5 days = $1475
Standard Tuition (register July 10-30):
- 1 day = $395
- 2 days = $685
- 3 days = $975
- 4 days = $1285
- 5 days = $1550
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex for 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.
- 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 July 9.
- Can I earn CLE credits or EEO refresher training 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. Attendees may also request a certificate for EEO refresher hours upon completion of this program.
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.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
President Biden’s Executive Orders on the Federal Workplace. OPM’s recent guidance. A new focus on diversity and inclusion. A recent decision that broke 40 years of precedent to require agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period. FELTG’s annual webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions can help you and your supervisors get up to speed on the changing nature of the federal workplace.
FELTG’s talented team of engaging and experienced instructors will teach 14 60-minute webinars every two weeks from March through the end of August. The webinars are updated to provide a comprehensive curriculum for those who supervisor federal employees. Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions addresses the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing at the moment. Courses are taught on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse. Those who attend can rest assured that they are well-prepared to face the new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
There is no other training available that provides the depth and breadth of guidance that federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
You can register for one, several, or all of the courses in the series. The webinars will be held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, and will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2021 dates:
March 9: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 23: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
April 6: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
April 20: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
May 4: Handling an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; recent decision requiring agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period; executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
May 18: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
June 1: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues.
June 15: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 29: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 13: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
July 27: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 10: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
August 24: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
August 31: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by March 1).
- Special series discounts available through March 1: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made March 2 or later).
Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $50 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Have a large group teleworking? Contact FELTG for information on group discounts.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
1
Telework is one of the the most commonly requested accommodations for individuals who have physical and mental disabilities. And after a year of pandemic-induced work challenges, it’s more clear than ever: Telework can be a very effective accommodation, too. In light of that, you can expect even more reasonable accommodation requests for telework than ever before. Are you ready to do the appropriate interactive discussion and analysis?
Join FELTG President and Attorney at Law Deborah Hopkins for a discussion on this timely topic during the third event in our Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series. Ms Hopkins 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
- Who gets to choose the accommodation
- What the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute
- When an agency can legally deny telework as an accommodation
Often times 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 requests as 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.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240.00 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270.00 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
One of the most important and complex areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, whether it’s to qualified individuals with disabilities or for individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs. And the pandemic has made these laws even trickier and more important than usual.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is more than ten years old; the ADA is more than 30, and the Rehabilitation Act is nearing 50. However, too many agencies continue to follow outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Yet, times change, and we learn new information about medical conditions, while new medications and treatments raise different issues. Technological advances create opportunities that previously didn’t exist. And once-in-a-lifetime pandemics create new, multifaceted challenges.
Updated for 2021, FELTG’s annual five-part series on reasonable accommodation provides an opportunity to re-familiarize yourself with the critical foundation of disability law, and apply it to the ever-evolving federal workplace. The series will tackle everything from the basics of the law to challenges, such as providing accommodations to teleworkers and accommodating invisible disabilities. You’ll learn from the mistakes others have made, as well as how the law differs for religious accommodation. Attend one session, or attend them all.
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation Overview and Analysis (July 15)
Session 2: Accommodating Invisible Disabilities (July 22)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation (July 29)
Session 4: Reasonable Accommodation: The Mistakes Agencies Make (August 5)
Session 5: Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodations (August 12)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240.00 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270.00 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 2 and pay only $1,150.00!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructor
Course Description
1
Are you likely to outright deny a reasonable accommodation request for leave or a flexible work schedule? Do you think undue hardship is a viable reason to deny most reasonable accommodations? Do you think it’s the supervisor’s responsibility to determine if the individual is really disabled? Have you reached out to an employee’s doctor to find out more about his disability? If so, we have one word for you: Uh-oh.
Oftentimes the best way to learn is by making mistakes. But not when it comes to reasonable accommodation law. Instead, learn from the costly and embarrassing blunders that other agencies have already made. Attorney Robert Woods will review recent EEO cases to share these mistakes so you know how to avoid them.
During this session, the fourth in our Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series, attendees will learn:
- What steps to take when an employee informs you of his or her disability
- How to determine if telework would be an effective accommodation
- When leave would be considered an accommodation
- Why undue hardship is rarely a successful defense for denying an accommodation request
Learn how to handle reasonable accommodation requests with confidence.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
One of the most important and complex areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, whether it’s to qualified individuals with disabilities or for individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs. And the pandemic has made these laws even trickier and more important than usual.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is more than ten years old; the ADA is more than 30, and the Rehabilitation Act is nearing 50. However, too many agencies continue to follow outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Yet, times change, and we learn new information about medical conditions, while new medications and treatments raise different issues. Technological advances create opportunities that previously didn’t exist. And once-in-a-lifetime pandemics create new, multifaceted challenges.
Updated for 2021, FELTG’s annual five-part series on reasonable accommodation provides an opportunity to re-familiarize yourself with the critical foundation of disability law, and apply it to the ever-evolving federal workplace. The series will tackle everything from the basics of the law to challenges, such as providing accommodations to teleworkers and accommodating invisible disabilities. You’ll learn from the mistakes others have made, as well as how the law differs for religious accommodation. Attend one session, or attend them all.
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation Overview and Analysis (July 15)
Session 2: Accommodating Invisible Disabilities (July 22)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation (July 29)
Session 4: Reasonable Accommodation: The Mistakes Agencies Make (August 5)
Session 5: Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodations (August 12)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240.00 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270.00 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 2 and pay only $1,150.00!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
President Biden’s Executive Orders on the Federal Workplace. OPM’s recent guidance. A new focus on diversity and inclusion. A recent decision that broke 40 years of precedent to require agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period. FELTG’s annual webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions can help you and your supervisors get up to speed on the changing nature of the federal workplace.
FELTG’s talented team of engaging and experienced instructors will teach 14 60-minute webinars every two weeks from March through the end of August. The webinars are updated to provide a comprehensive curriculum for those who supervisor federal employees. Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions addresses the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing at the moment. Courses are taught on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse. Those who attend can rest assured that they are well-prepared to face the new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
There is no other training available that provides the depth and breadth of guidance that federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
You can register for one, several, or all of the courses in the series. The webinars will be held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, and will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2021 dates:
March 9: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 23: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
April 6: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
April 20: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
May 4: Handling an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; recent decision requiring agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period; executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
May 18: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
June 1: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues.
June 15: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 29: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 13: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
July 27: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 10: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
August 24: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
August 31: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by March 1).
- Special series discounts available through March 1: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made March 2 or later).
Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $50 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Have a large group teleworking? Contact FELTG for information on group discounts.
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.
Instructor
Course Description
1
A request for religious accommodation requires a much different response than a request for reasonable accommodation of a disability. Failure to understand the important distinctions between religious accommodations and those made for individuals with disabilities could lead to costly mistakes and embarrassing gaffes.
Join attorney Katherine Atkinson for the final session in our five-part Reasonable Accommodation in the Federal Workplace webinar series, and leave with specific guidance to help you with accommodation requests involving religious clothing and headwear, grooming, proselytizing, religious displays, and work schedules.
After a review of the relevant law and regulations law that pertain to religious accommodation, the instructor 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.
This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240 per site, per session (payment made by July 20).
- Standard Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made July 21 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Course Description
One of the most important and complex areas in federal employment law is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, whether it’s to qualified individuals with disabilities or for individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs. And the pandemic has made these laws even trickier and more important than usual.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is more than ten years old; the ADA is more than 30, and the Rehabilitation Act is nearing 50. However, too many agencies continue to follow outdated procedures that are not compliant with the law. Because there are so many complexities in the reasonable accommodation process, the best way to avoid pitfalls and to be sure you provide accommodations for people who are entitled is to follow the appropriate steps, in the proper order.
Yet, times change, and we learn new information about medical conditions, while new medications and treatments raise different issues. Technological advances create opportunities that previously didn’t exist. And once-in-a-lifetime pandemics create new, multifaceted challenges.
Updated for 2021, FELTG’s annual five-part series on reasonable accommodation provides an opportunity to re-familiarize yourself with the critical foundation of disability law, and apply it to the ever-evolving federal workplace. The series will tackle everything from the basics of the law to challenges, such as providing accommodations to teleworkers and accommodating invisible disabilities. You’ll learn from the mistakes others have made, as well as how the law differs for religious accommodation. Attend one session, or attend them all.
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Click on any event for a full description.
5 (1 per webinar)
Session 1: Reasonable Accommodation Overview and Analysis (July 15)
Session 2: Accommodating Invisible Disabilities (July 22)
Session 3: Telework as Reasonable Accommodation (July 29)
Session 4: Reasonable Accommodation: The Mistakes Agencies Make (August 5)
Session 5: Religious Accommodations: How They’re Different from Disability Accommodations (August 12)
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $240.00 per site, per session (payment made by July 2).
- Standard Tuition: $270.00 per site, per session (payment made July 3 or later).
- Register for all five webinars by July 2 and pay only $1,150.00!
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per teleworker, on a space-available basis.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Course Description
President Biden’s recent Executive Order 14035 initiated a wide-ranging plan to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal government, with a goal to create a workforce that “looks more like America” and represents people from all segments of society. This new effort tasks the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with key roles in the development of a more diverse representation in not only the Federal workforce in general, but also in senior leadership positions.
Agencies were given 100 days to assess the impact of their own practices, policies, and procedures on DEIA.
Join Attorney at Law Meghan Droste and Marcus Hill, former Senior Executive Advisor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and current board member of the Senior Executives Association, as they discuss the details of the Executive Order and share guidance on what you can do to set and meet your agency’s DEIA goals. They will also share the key provisions of President Biden’s two previous DEIA-related Executive Orders, highlight the interaction among all three EOs, and detail the steps your agency can take to ensure equity for all employees.
Attend this 90-minute town hall discussion for answers to questions, such as:
- How do you more efficiently recruit and hire a workplace that “looks more like America”?
- What current hiring practices are actually roadblocks to efforts for a more diverse workplace?
- What workplace protections do LGBTQ employees have?
- Why are people of color and individuals with disabilities not fairly represented in agency leadership roles?
- What groups are considered underserved populations?
- What steps can you actually take to improve representation of underserved populations?
- What exact roles do OPM, OMB and EEOC play?
- What is your agency expected to produce in 100 days?
- What is the likely future of this initiative after those 100 days are up?
This LIVE event also provides several opportunities for you to ask your questions and get answers in real time.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $225 (register by August 2).
- Standard Tuition: $240 (register August 3-17).
- Rates per registrant.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast 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 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.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through August 2.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Download Individual Registration Form
Course Description
The one-size-fits-all approach to managing others is ineffective, and that becomes particularly apparent when the majority of your staff is teleworking. Drawing upon the latest research and best practices in behavioral science, communication, team effectiveness, and generational studies, while making special consideration of the increased use of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, FELTG Instructor Dr. Anthony Marchese will share his insight and practical strategies to ensure you are managing for success.
For many of you, employees are starting to return to the workplace, which will create some new management challenges. Rarely has the quality of your communication been more important.
Sessions will be held from 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm eastern, with a break from 2:00-2:30 pm.
Instructor
Who Should Attend
Federal supervisors and managers; attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO specialists; union representatives.
Agenda
Wednesday, August 18 – Managing Effectively
12:30-4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00-2:30)
Course description: Dr. Marchese will explain the difference between managing and leading, and help you to identify your strength and hone your supervisory skills. Using realistic agency scenarios, participants will learn how to understand and leverage individual differences to develop a meaningful management methodology that is targeted to the needs of their employees and those of the agency.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify strategies for managing difficult employees.
- Successfully manage a mobile workforce.
- Employ a specific set of skills to resolve workplace conflicts – including virtual conflicts.
Thursday, August 19 – Communicating Effectively
12:30-4:00 pm eastern (break from 2:00-2:30)
Course description: What is stopping you and your team from developing innovative solutions to your most challenging problems? Oftentimes, the problem lies in a unit’s lack of communication. In Day 2 of this interactive virtual training, Dr. Marchese will share several strategies for improving communication with your staff – and it starts with you providing ongoing feedback on employee performance.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- (And how often to) communicate performance expectations.
- Recognize the differences between positive and negative framing.
- Hold difficult conversations with employees.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $345 per session, $630 for both sessions (register by August 2).
- Standard Tuition: $395 per session, $685 for both sessions (register August 3-19).
- 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.
- 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 August 2.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Course Description
Let’s face it: Being a federal sector Employee Relations Specialist is a tough job. It’s great to know the basics, but the basics don’t always help you when you’re facing complicated or challenging situations. That’s when you realize that there is much more to learn. No worries. The FELTG Virtual Training Institute presents Advanced Employee Relations, a three-day seminar focused on immersing you in the employee relations training you need most.
You’ll receive in-depth training on topics including leave, performance, misconduct, disability accommodation, and more. Plus, interactive workshops will allow you to leave with the tools you’ll need to succeed. And it will all be taught by FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga.
The program runs 9:00 – 4:00 ET each day and is approved for 18 HRCI general recertification credits.
Instructor
Daily Agenda:
Tuesday, August 24
Leave and Attendance: Administering leave, with particular emphasis on sick leave, LWOP, and FMLA. Detailed review of sick leave provisions including authorized purposes for use of sick leave, limitations on use of sick leave for family care and bereavement, eligibility to use leave for care, notice requirements, acceptable documentation. Management actions to control use of leave and abuse of sick leave. Detailed review of FMLA provisions including eligibility to invoke FMLA, entitlement, coverage of family members, administration and notice requirements. Acceptable medical documentation under FMLA, definition of serious health condition. Substitution of paid leave, including Paid Parental Leave. Discipline tied to FMLA. LWOP – when LWOP is mandatory, limits on granting LWOP, employee status while on extended LWOP. Other topics –issues related to annual leave and leave transfer, other leave entitlements.
Wednesday, August 25
Performance Management: Managing performance from system establishment to conducting annual appraisals to taking actions linked to performance. GEAR initiative and other efforts focused on modifying Federal performance management system. Requirements for performance plans, including design of agency systems, rating schemes, and procedures for conducting appraisals. Linkage between appraisal and other personnel management decisions, including reduction-in-force and within-grade increases. Writing effective and measurable performance criteria that will withstand third-party review, including a workshop where participants will do an in-depth review of performance plans. Requirements for successful performance-based actions – from drafting a PIP notice that will withstand scrutiny to conducting a bona fide PIP to ensuring that due process is met in effecting an action on unacceptable performance.
Thursday, August 26
Misconduct and Other Related Issues: Implementation of a successful disciplinary program – delegation of authority, role of advisors, warnings and cautions, use of administrative leave. Nexus. Dealing with comparators in determining a penalty. Involuntary actions – resignations and retirements. Ordering and Offering medical examinations. Specific disciplinary situations: handling situations when an employee is unable to perform including excessive leave, disability retirement, separation disability; conduct unbecoming; misuse and technology-related misconduct; failure to meet conditions of employment.
Pricing
-
- Early Bird Tuition (register by August 9):
- 3 days = $1370
- 2 days = $970
- 1 day = $530
Standard Tuition (register August 10 or later):
- 3 days = $1470
- 2 days = $1070
- 1 day = $630
- Early Bird Tuition (register by August 9):
Seminar registration includes a printed copy of the materials. In order to have the best chance to receive materials by the training date, please register by August 9 and provide a shipping address, and your materials will be sent via USPS Priority Mail. Registrations received after August 9 will also receive printed materials, which will be shipped Priority Mail when registration is received; they may not arrive in time for the training.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses 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 August 9, 2021.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
President Biden’s Executive Orders on the Federal Workplace. OPM’s recent guidance. A new focus on diversity and inclusion. A recent decision that broke 40 years of precedent to require agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period. FELTG’s annual webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions can help you and your supervisors get up to speed on the changing nature of the federal workplace.
FELTG’s talented team of engaging and experienced instructors will teach 14 60-minute webinars every two weeks from March through the end of August. The webinars are updated to provide a comprehensive curriculum for those who supervisor federal employees. Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions addresses the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing at the moment. Courses are taught on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse. Those who attend can rest assured that they are well-prepared to face the new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
There is no other training available that provides the depth and breadth of guidance that federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
You can register for one, several, or all of the courses in the series. The webinars will be held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, and will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2021 dates:
March 9: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 23: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
April 6: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
April 20: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
May 4: Handling an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; recent decision requiring agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period; executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
May 18: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
June 1: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues.
June 15: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 29: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 13: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
July 27: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 10: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
August 24: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
August 31: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by March 1).
- Special series discounts available through March 1: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made March 2 or later).
Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $50 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Have a large group teleworking? Contact FELTG for information on group discounts.
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.
There is one action you can take that, when done effectively, could have a major impact on your team’s morale and productivity. This action is something that you should be doing on a regular basis, yet it’s often overlooked amid your busy schedule. What’s this transformative action? It’s giving your employees honest, and ongoing, feedback.
During this half-day interactive virtual training experience, FELTG Instructor Anthony Marchese, Ph.D., will equip participants with the necessary tools to nurture a culture of candor that will lead to healthy and actionable feedback. You’ll learn best practices for motivating and recognizing employees, and neuroscience-based strategies for maximizing performance even when leading employees in a virtual environment. Dr. Marchese will also expose feedback myths and share the ineffective practices that you need to avoid.
Don’t let anxiety, frustration, or confusion prevent you from having honest performance-related discussions with your employees. Providing feedback effectively is a skill that can — and should — be developed. Fix performance problems before they begin. Make your agency a more efficient place to work.
This interactive session will include breakout groups, giving participants a chance to interact with each other.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn how to:
- Communicate performance expectations.
- Supervise effectively in a virtual environment.
- Differentiate between positive and negative framing.
- Identify behavioral styles, including your own, to provide feedback that is better understood and more useful.
Also, you will have numerous opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times. This program runs from 12:30 – 4:00 eastern, with a 30-minute break from 2:00 – 2:30 eastern.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructor
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (register by August 17): $340
- Standard Tuition (register August 18-31): $380
- Rates per registrant.
- Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through August 31. Contact FELTG.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Zoom for this 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. You may also attend the training event as an audio training, by dialing in over the phone and following along with the materials independently.
- Can I earn CLE credits for this class?
- CLE applications are the responsibility of each attendee; FELTG does not apply for the credits on behalf of attendees. If you are seeking CLE credit, attendees may use the materials provided by FELTG in submission to your state bar. Attendees may also request a certificate of completion which will contain the number of training hours attended.
- Can I share my access link with co-workers?
- No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
- Can I register a teleworker?
- This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through August 17.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Barbara Haga, Meghan Droste, Ann Boehm, Katherine Atkinson, Anthony Marchese
Course Description
President Biden’s Executive Orders on the Federal Workplace. OPM’s recent guidance. A new focus on diversity and inclusion. A recent decision that broke 40 years of precedent to require agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period. FELTG’s annual webinar training series Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions can help you and your supervisors get up to speed on the changing nature of the federal workplace.
FELTG’s talented team of engaging and experienced instructors will teach 14 60-minute webinars every two weeks from March through the end of August. The webinars are updated to provide a comprehensive curriculum for those who supervisor federal employees. Supervising Federal Employees: Managing Accountability and Defending Your Actions addresses the most timely and important topics supervisors are facing at the moment. Courses are taught on everything from managing poor performance and disciplining for employee misconduct to providing reasonable accommodation and rooting out leave abuse. Those who attend can rest assured that they are well-prepared to face the new and challenging issues amid complex and changing laws.
There is no other training available that provides the depth and breadth of guidance that federal supervisors need to manage the agency workplace effectively and efficiently.
You can register for one, several, or all of the courses in the series. The webinars will be held every other Tuesday from 1 – 2 p.m. eastern time, and will expand upon legal principles to provide attendees with the necessary tools and best practices. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get answers from FELTG instructors – in real time.
As an added bonus, this series fulfills OPM’s mandatory training requirements for new supervisors found at 5 CFR 412.202(b).
2021 dates:
March 9: The Foundations of Accountability: Performance vs. Misconduct: The distinction between performance and conduct; an overview on holding employees accountable; setting the stage for discipline and performance actions.
March 23: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part I: The five elements of discipline in the federal government; documentation supervisors need to succeed in a disciplinary action.
April 6: Disciplining Employees for Misconduct, Part II: Disciplinary procedures: reprimand, suspension, termination; appeals process; agency liability.
April 20: Writing Effective Performance Plans: Performance management; understanding the performance appraisal system; defining elements and standards; drafting standards according to legal requirements; creating the performance plan.
May 4: Handling an Unacceptable Performance Case: Performance accountability in a nutshell; recent decision requiring agencies to have substantial evidence before putting an employee on a performance demonstration period; executing a performance demonstration period; proof and evidence standards.
May 18: Addressing Special Challenges with Performance: Permutations on performance accountability and the performance warning period; performance standards with multiple sub-components; managing teleworker performance; what do when a poor-performing employee requests reasonable accommodation.
June 1: Providing Performance Feedback That Makes a Difference: Communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing feedback; positive vs. negative framing; why you shouldn’t wait until the mid-year to discuss performance issues.
June 15: Tackling Leave Issues I: Handling the leave issues most common in the federal government: annual leave, sick leave, leave transfer.
June 29: Tackling Leave Issues II: Handling more complicated leave scenarios: FMLA, LWOP, administrative leave, AWOL.
July 13: Disability Accommodation in 60 Minutes: Defining a disability; requests for accommodation; the interactive process; accommodations of choice; undue hardship.
July 27: Intentional EEO Discrimination: What supervisors should know about EEO discrimination; discrete acts of discrimination; selection and promotion cases; defending against claims of intentional discrimination.
August 10: Combating Against Hostile Work Environment Harassment Claims: The elements of a hostile work environment; liability in hostile work environment claims; tangible employment actions; harassment v. bullying; supervisor responsibilities in harassment claims; agency defenses.
August 24: EEO Reprisal: Handle It, Don’t Fear It: How reprisal is different than other EEO claims; what the complainant must show to establish reprisal; how a supervisor can defend against reprisal claims; what to do and what not to do when an employee engages in protected EEO activity.
August 31: Supervising in a Unionized Environment: The right to be bargained with; forming a union; employee and union rights; ULPs.
Pricing
Early Bird Tuition:
- $240 per site, per session (payment required by March 1).
- Special series discounts available through March 1: $2,925 for the first 13 webinars or $3,150 for all 14. See registration form for details.
Standard Tuition:
- $270 per site, per session (payments made March 2 or later).
Working from home? Teleworkers may be added to a primary site registration for $50 each, per session, on a space-available basis.
Have a large group teleworking? Contact FELTG for information on group discounts.
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
Course Description
We’re back! Once again, FELTG’s experienced and widely respected instructors come together for the Federal Workplace 2021: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends virtual training event. In this event we focus 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. Let FELTG lead you into the new fiscal year the right way.
The last year was, to continue the overuse of the word, unprecedented. A pandemic. Remote work. Political chaos. Targeted harassment. A new administration. During the course of this weeklong training, FELTG instructors will share the best practices and lessons learned over the previous fiscal year, and provide the guidance and expertise you’ll need to thrive in the upcoming year.
We know you have plenty of training options – both onsite and virtual – to choose from this time of year. This program has several advantages. Although not a conference, it provides an opportunity for conference-like training for those who can’t get travel approval, or for those not quite ready to squish into packed rooms. And unlike other virtual events where you have to register for the full agenda, this training event allows attendees to register for only the sessions they prefer to attend. In addition, FELTG is an SBA-certified Woman Owned Small Business, allowing your agency to help achieve its small business set aside fiscal targets. And if all that wasn’t enough, Federal Workplace 2021: Accountability, Challenges, and Trends is completely live, and attendees have the opportunities to ask questions and engage in polls and other activities. Beware of “virtual” conferences that aren’t live.
No matter your job title, this event has something for you. Attendees will receive clear strategies and straight-forward guidance on holding employees accountable on emerging performance and conduct issues, deftly handling the most complex challenges, and identifying and handling those pesky issues that are new — or will be soon enough.
Who Should Attend
Attorneys; Labor and Employee Relations Specialists; EEO managers and directors; EEO specialists; Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators; Federal supervisors and managers; emerging leaders; security officers; union representatives.
Download Individual Registration Form
Monday, September 27, 2021
Pre-session
1 – 4:30 pm EDT
EEO Challenges, COVID-19, and a Return to Workplace Normalcy
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 3 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and/or 3 CLE credits)
President Biden’s Executive Order requires all Federal employees to be vaccinated with no option for regular coronavirus testing to opt out of the mandate. What does this mean for employees who refuse to get vaccinated? Are there any religious exemptions that would allow employees to continue to work without vaccination? What about employees who cannot get vaccinated due to a disability – can agencies accommodate them?
Beyond the vaccination mandate, Ms. Atkinson will also help you answer the following questions and more
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- How would you handle an employee’s claim that he’s being harassed because he is at high risk for COVID-19, or has recovered from the virus?
- Does asking the pre-vaccination screening questions create a violation of Title II of the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act?
Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to determine:
- Whether an employee with COVID-19 or pre-existing respiratory sensitivities should receive a reasonable accommodation.
- How pregnant women fit into the framework of EEO and COVID-19.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Spotlight on Accountability
Session 1
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
You Want Accountability? Avoid These Too-Common Mistakes
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
Almost 60 percent of Federal employees think their supervisors do not do enough to hold unacceptable performers accountable. Meanwhile, myths about the inability to discipline employees for misconduct continue to fester. There is one action you can take to boost your agency’s FEVS scores, increase morale, and improve productivity, and it’s this: Do a better job holding employees accountable for performance and conduct. The best way to start is by eliminating the most common mistakes that derail your efforts. FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will identify these habitual errors, such as using too many suspensions, delaying discipline in favor of unhelpful letters of caution, committing due process violations, and more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Avoid due process mistakes in appealable actions.
- Properly document an employee’s poor performance before a PIP.
- Draft effective charges that hold up to third-party scrutiny.
Session 2
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
Got Nexus? Accountability for Off-duty Conduct
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
The borderline between on-duty and off-duty has become blurred as of late, with a majority of employees working from home and the omnipresence of social media. Yet, one thing has remained clear and constant: If you’re going to discipline someone for what they do on their own time, you need to show a nexus between the employee’s actions and their Federal job. FELTG Instructor Robert Woods will help you untangle your most challenging off-duty misconduct scenarios and illustrate the situations where the conduct is so egregious as to create a rebuttable presumption of nexus.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Demonstrate nexus between the off-duty conduct and the efficiency of the service.
- Understand how Douglas Factor Eight: Notoriety and Agency Reputation can create nexus.
- Select an effective and defensible penalty for off-duty conduct.
Session 3
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
Medical Certification Requirements for Sick Leave and FMLA
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
Challenging situations involving sick leave and FMLA are, unfortunately, neither rare nor easy to solve. For example: An employee brings in a medical statement in support of her FMLA request. The statement only says that the employee is “unable to work.” Here’s another one: An employee refuses to bring medical documentation to support three weeks of absence to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. Or what about the employee who claims, for the first time during an MSPB appeal, that she was not AWOL and should have been entitled to sick leave. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will provide the solutions to these scenarios, explain how MSPB decisions inform discussions about requirements for medical certification, share OPM’s requirements for revoking retroactive FMLA, and more.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Recognize the different medical certification requirements for sick leave and for FMLA.
- Implement clear policies on deadlines for submitting medical certification.
- Explain the requirement for granting provisional leave under the FMLA.
Session 4
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Tools for Accountability: Position Descriptions, Performance Standards, and Medical Requirements
Presented by Barbara Haga, President/Federal HR Services, FELTG Senior Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
There is a lot of confusion about where the authority comes from to hold employees accountable for many things related to their positions, whether it’s medical requirements to hold licenses and certifications, work rules for proper use of credit cards and completing mandatory training, or successful performance of the key functions of their jobs. FELTG Senior Instructor Barbara Haga will explain how to maximize the effectiveness of the various tools management can employ to establish requirements and then deal with situations when employees fail to meet those requirements.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Ensure effective use of well-crafted position descriptions.
- Implement conduct standards that cover the full gamut of expectations that employees must meet.
- Develop effective and workable performance plans to accurately capture how well employees perform.
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Spotlight on Challenges
Session 5
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Re-boarding: Strategies to Support a Successful Return to the Office
Presented by Anthony Marchese, PhD, Author/Coach/Consultant, FELTG Instructor
Most Federal employees are still working remotely, though many of them may soon make a return to the physical workplace. The remote work experience of the last 18 months has provided us with many lessons learned, research findings, and best practices to help supervisors seize the opportunity to nurture a workforce that is stronger and more resilient than ever before. During this session, FELTG Instructor Anthony Marchese, PhD, will share practical strategies for supervisors and advisers to help your employees return to the office smarter, stronger, and more satisfied with work.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Reset expectations and accountability in the post-pandemic workplace.
- Improve communication and collaboration among hybrid teams.
- Create a culture of candor and connection.
Session 6
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
Resolving Conflicts Before They Lead to Litigation
Presented by Marcus Hill, Principal/Hill Management Consultancy (HMC) LLC, FELTG Instructor
As a Federal supervisor, it’s not a matter of if you will ever experience conflict within the workplace, but when. While workforce diversity is without a doubt an organizational strength, it can also make resolving conflict more difficult due to varying perspectives, orientations, and backgrounds. Conflict that is properly managed can be very beneficial to organizational performance and mission effectiveness. Marcus L. Hill, a recently retired Federal senior executive, will discuss common causes that create workplace conflicts, as well as strategies and practices supervisors can employ to resolve conflict before it leads to workplace chaos, organizational ineffectiveness, and costly litigation.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the common types of conflicts that exists within organizations.
- Identify conflict management styles, strategies and tools, and when to apply them.
- Create an organizational culture that builds staff trust through inclusivity, promotes workplace harmony, and inspires innovative problem-solving to resolve conflict.
Session 7
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
Identifying and Eliminating Microaggressions in the Workplace
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
FELTG Instructor Deborah J. Hopkins, attorney at law, will explain what microaggressions look like in their various forms — including microinsults, microassaults, and microinvalidations. If those words are all new to you, you’re not alone – but it’s time to get up to speed. Ms. Droste will share an implicit bias test, explain its impact, and provide examples where bias can lead to EEO and non-EEO discrimination and harassment.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Determine when bias or microaggression leads to the level of discrimination.
- Identify acts of microaggression and acts influenced by implicit bias.
- Respond appropriately and effectively when you see a microaggression in the workplace.
Session 8
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
The Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes Agencies Make
Presented by Bob Woods, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Oftentimes, the best way to learn is by making mistakes. But not when it comes to reasonable accommodation law. Instead, learn from the blunders that other agencies have already made to prepare your agency to do things the right way. Bob Woods will share those mistakes, covering everything from the interactive process to telework to undue hardship, to raise awareness of how to avoid them.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Determine when to offer an accommodation different from the one requested.
- Recognize when leave would be considered an appropriate accommodation.
- Identify the agency defenses that have been successful when denying a reasonable accommodation request.
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Spotlight on Trends
Session 9
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
The Changing Nature of Hostile Work Environment Claims
Presented by Katherine Atkinson, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
Unfortunately, the Federal workplace is not immune to reprehensible harassing behavior. As the pandemic raged and employees remained home, many thought that hostile work environment incidents would wane, yet the targets of hostile work environment merely expanded and changed. More harassment was aimed at Asian American and Pacific Islanders and LGBTQ employees, and harassment took more virtual forms including email and social media. Katherine Atkinson will discuss in clear terms the law on hostile work environment claims, amid the changing nature of the harassing behavior.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Determine when an agency could be held liable for hostile work environment.
- Raise awareness to prevent harassment from taking place.
- Take prompt and effective corrective action when harassment is alleged.
Session 10
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
High Times and Misdemeanors: Weed and the Workplace
Presented by Deborah J. Hopkins, Attorney at Law, FELTG President
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
Recreational marijuana is legal in almost a dozen states and the District of Columbia, and its use for medical purposes is now legal in 30-plus states. What does that mean for Federal workers in those locations? Could their careers still go up in smoke for a “legal” activity? Are you required to accommodate an employee’s medically certified marijuana usage? What should you do if the Federal employee is married to someone who legally grows marijuana? Should you overlook an employee’s suspected marijuana usage because it makes him more pleasant to work with? FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will review the laws that apply to Federal employees and share the most effective approach to managing and/or disciplining employees when their drug usage seeps into the workplace.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Craft the right charge when disciplining an employee for marijuana usage.
- Determine when it’s appropriate to require an employee to take a drug test.
- Handle an employee who has lied about previous marijuana usage.
Session 11
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
Preparing for the Surge in Accommodation Requests for Telework
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 EEO counselor & investigator refresher hours and 1.25 CLE credits)
By most accounts, the great telework experiment worked. And as employees are directed to return to the physical workplace, it’s widely expected that requests for telework as a reasonable accommodation for disability (and, perhaps, for religious reasons) will increase significantly. Are you prepared for these requests? Do you have a proper procedure in place? What do you need to know about the interactive process? Ann Boehm discusses it all.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn:
- How to determine whether telework would be an effective accommodation.
- When an agency can legally deny telework as an accommodation.
- What the EEOC says about accommodating an employee’s commute.
Session 12
3:15 – 4:30 pm EDT
Case Law Update, Part I: MSPB, EEOC, and Fed Circuit
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
In Federal employment law, things can change quickly. FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm will review the most recent and relevant cases, regulations, studies and reports from OPM, the EEOC, the courts, OSC, and (hopefully) the MSPB. 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 a few recent Federal Circuit decisions have caused a major change at the MSPB in the absence of a quorum.
- The most updated guidance on Whistleblower protections.
- Recent trends in EEOC case law.
Friday, October 1, 2021
Spotlight on Labor Relations
Session 13
9:30 – 10:45 am EDT
Case Law Update, Part II: FLRA and FSIP
Presented by Joseph Schimansky, Former Executive Director/FSIP, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
Over the past year-and-a-half, the Federal Labor Relations Authority has released several precedent-altering decisions. The Federal Service Impasses Panel has also issued several noteworthy decisions, but a new panel is on its way. Join FELTG Instructor Joseph Schimansky, the former Executive Director of the Federal Service Impasses Panel, as he reviews the cases and explains what it all means for Federal counsel, HR professionals, Labor Relations practitioners, and union representatives.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn:
- Which Trump FLRA decisions are most likely to be reversed by the Biden FLRA.
- How the Biden FSIP will operate differently from the practices adopted by the Trump FSIP.
- The latest updates on the appointment of new FLRA and FSIP Members by the Biden Administration.
Session 14
11:15 am – 12:30 pm EDT
Permissive Bargaining
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
Permissive bargaining isn’t really permissive now, thanks to Executive Order 14003. Agencies must bargain over the 5 U.S.C. 7106(b)(1) topics. But what are the topics that fall under 5 U.S.C. 7106(b)(1)? This course will help you understand the complicated world of negotiability, and it will also help agencies realize that bargaining over these topics isn’t the end of the world.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn:
- Determine best practices in dealing with negotiability determinations in light of EO 14003.
- Develop effective negotiation strategies.
- Implement communication strategies to ensure mission is not adversely impacted by labor negotiations.
Session 15
1:30 – 2:45 pm EDT
Requests for Information
Presented by Ann Boehm, Attorney at Law, FELTG Instructor
(Earn 1.25 CLE credits)
Just about any federal labor relations professional has dealt with a union request for information, but they may not have handled it correctly. This class will help anyone dealing with a union’s request for information ensure that the agency provides information that it owes the union, but also ensure that the unions are establishing a particularized need. Engaging in the proper interactive process will help agencies avoid unfair labor practice complaints while providing only information that is legally required.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify the rights and obligations of both agencies and unions regarding information requests.
- Apply the “particularized need” standard.
- Reply when the union fails to meet the “particularized need” standard.
Pricing
- Early bird pricing for individual sessions start at $150. Daily and full event All Access discounts available.
- Early Bird discounts available until September 3.
- See registration form for full pricing details.
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?
- This program is submitted for CLE credits to, and we anticipate approval by, the State Bar of Virginia. Individual 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 All Access registration options only. Group discounts are available through September 3.
Download Individual Registration Form
President Biden’s Executive Order requires all Federal employees to be vaccinated with no option for regular coronavirus testing to opt out of the mandate. What does this mean for employees who refuse to get vaccinated? Are there any religious exemptions that would allow employees to continue to work without vaccination? What about employees who cannot get vaccinated due to a disability – can agencies accommodate them?
Attorney Katherine Atkinson will not only share with you the latest guidance from the president’s EO, the EEOC and the CDC, but she will also explain how applying the basic EEO framework can answer the aforementioned and other puzzling EEO questions you may suddenly face. Because Ms. Atkinson will use a legal analysis to address these challenges, the answers and guidance you receive during this virtual training will be useful long after the coronavirus is gone.
Beyond the vaccination mandate, Ms. Atkinson will also help you answer the following questions and more
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- How would you handle an employee’s claim that he’s being harassed because he is at high risk for COVID-19, or has recovered from the virus?
- Does asking the pre-vaccination screening questions create a violation of Title II of the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act?
Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the unique problems you’re facing during these unprecedented times.
Learning takeaways
Attendees will learn how to determine:
- Whether an employee with COVID-19 or pre-existing respiratory sensitivities should receive a reasonable accommodation.
- How pregnant women fit into the framework of EEO and COVID-19.
This program runs from 1:00 – 4:30 eastern, with a 30-minute break from 2:30 – 3:00 eastern.
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This program meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Download Individual Registration Form
Price
- Early Bird Tuition (register by September 3): $355
- Standard Tuition (register September 4 or later): $395
- Rates per registrant.
- Want to register a group? Group discounts for 10 or more attendees are available through September 17. Contact FELTG.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Webex to broadcast 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.
- What if I want to attend a session but have a schedule conflict?
- FELTG also plans to offer this live event periodically, so check our calendar for upcoming dates.
- Can I share my access link with co-workers?
- No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
- Can I register a teleworker?
- This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more individuals. Group discounts are available through September 17.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.