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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Instructors
Course Description
Agencies face many challenges and unanswered questions as they attempt to bring workers back the physical workspace, especially as they pertain to reasonable accommodation requests and medical information. In this 60-minute webinar, the first in our three-part Navigating the Return to the Federal Workplace series, Attorney at Law and FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson provide guidance for those challenges and answer those questions, such as:
- How do you accommodate someone with ‘long COVID’ or post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)?
- What do you do with the results of an employee’s COVD-19 test?
- Where do you store the Certifications of Vaccination?
- Must you accommodate employees who refuse to get the vaccine?
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- Do agencies have to provide a reasonable accommodation of permanent telework for an employee who refuses to get the vaccine for religious reasons?
Join us for the other two webinars in this three-part series:
- October 19: Vexing Vaccine Requirements: Responding to Requests for Exemptions
- October 26: Post-Pandemic Accountability: Handling Employee Performance and Misconduct in a COVID-19 World
This webinar and this series meet the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by October 1).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made October 2 or later).
- Register for all three webinars by October 1 and pay only $785.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Course Description
When you think about it, the federal workforce’s response to the pandemic was nothing short of remarkable. A majority of employees began working remotely for the first time in their careers. And by most accounts, it was a success.
So you’d think the eventual return back to the physical workspace would be a breeze.
Think again.
Even before the delta variant began ravaging the country, there was uncertainty on how to best return to the workplace. Now the variant has put us back almost to square one for a safe and easy return. This makes the Biden Administration’s recent Executive Order mandating all Federal employees and onsite contractors be vaccinated even more prescient.
Between the variant, the vaccination requirement, and the sheer challenge of creating a new hybrid work environment, there is more uncertainty than ever before. FELTG’s “The Return to the Workplace” webinar series offers to provide clear-cut answers, along with the appropriate framework for you to address these unique and unprecedented challenges.
October 12: Handling Pandemic-Related Reasonable Accommodation Requests and Medical Documentation
- How do you accommodate someone with ‘long COVID’ or post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)?
- What do you do with the results of an employee’s COVID-19 test?
- Where do you store the Certifications of Vaccination?
- Must you accommodate employees who refuse to get the vaccine?
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- Do agencies have to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee who refuses to get the vaccine for religious reasons?
October 19: Vexing Vaccine Requirements: Responding to Requests for Exemptions
- Does asking the pre-vaccination screening questions create a violation of Title II of the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act?
- Can you require employees to provide proof of vaccination, rather than simply “attest” to vaccination status?
- What do you do if an employee refuses to share his or her vaccination status?
- How will you determine whether an employee’s religion or medical condition requests vaccination exemptions?
- How do you hold remote workers accountable for performance and conduct?
- Is failure to comply with a COVID-19 screening test a performance or conduct issue?
- How do you provide a performance demonstration period for an employee who is teleworking?
- What actions can you take against employees who refuse to get vaccinated?
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by October 1).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made October 2 or later).
- Register for all three webinars by October 1 and pay only $785.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Agencies face many challenges and unanswered questions as they attempt to bring workers back the physical workspace, especially as they pertain to vaccine requirements and attestations. In this 60-minute webinar, the second of our three-webinar Navigating the Return to the Federal Workplace series, Attorney at Law and FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson provide guidance for those challenges and answer those questions, such as:
- Does asking the pre-vaccination screening questions create a violation of Title II of the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act?
- Can you require employees to provide proof of vaccination, rather than simply “attest” to vaccination status?
- What do you do if an employee refuses to share his or her vaccination status?
- How will you determine whether an employee’s religion or medical condition requests vaccination exemptions?
- How do you discipline an employee for lying on the certification of vaccination form?
Join us on October 26, for the final webinar in this series: Post-Pandemic Accountability: Handling Employee Performance and Misconduct in a COVID-19 World.
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment made by October 1).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payment made October 2 or later).
- Register for all three webinars in the Navigating the Return to the Federal Workplace series by October 1 and pay only $785.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Course Description
When you think about it, the federal workforce’s response to the pandemic was nothing short of remarkable. A majority of employees began working remotely for the first time in their careers. And by most accounts, it was a success.
So you’d think the eventual return back to the physical workspace would be a breeze.
Think again.
Even before the delta variant began ravaging the country, there was uncertainty on how to best return to the workplace. Now the variant has put us back almost to square one for a safe and easy return. This makes the Biden Administration’s recent Executive Order mandating all Federal employees and onsite contractors be vaccinated even more prescient.
Between the variant, the vaccination requirement, and the sheer challenge of creating a new hybrid work environment, there is more uncertainty than ever before. FELTG’s “The Return to the Workplace” webinar series offers to provide clear-cut answers, along with the appropriate framework for you to address these unique and unprecedented challenges.
October 12: Handling Pandemic-Related Reasonable Accommodation Requests and Medical Documentation
- How do you accommodate someone with ‘long COVID’ or post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)?
- What do you do with the results of an employee’s COVID-19 test?
- Where do you store the Certifications of Vaccination?
- Must you accommodate employees who refuse to get the vaccine?
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- Do agencies have to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee who refuses to get the vaccine for religious reasons?
October 19: Vexing Vaccine Requirements: Responding to Requests for Exemptions
- Does asking the pre-vaccination screening questions create a violation of Title II of the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act?
- Can you require employees to provide proof of vaccination, rather than simply “attest” to vaccination status?
- What do you do if an employee refuses to share his or her vaccination status?
- How will you determine whether an employee’s religion or medical condition requests vaccination exemptions?
- How do you hold remote workers accountable for performance and conduct?
- Is failure to comply with a COVID-19 screening test a performance or conduct issue?
- How do you provide a performance demonstration period for an employee who is teleworking?
- What actions can you take against employees who refuse to get vaccinated?
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by October 1).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made October 2 or later).
- Register for all three webinars by October 1 and pay only $785.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Agencies face many challenges and unanswered questions about performance and conduct as they attempt to bring workers back the physical workspace, while maintaining some type of hybrid work environment. In this final webinar of our three-part Navigating the Return to the Federal Workplace series, Attorney at Law and FELTG President Deborah Hopkins provide guidance for those challenges and answer those questions, such as:
- How do you hold remote workers accountable for performance and conduct?
- Is failure to comply with a COVID-19 screening test a performance or conduct issue?
- How do you provide a performance demonstration period for an employee who is teleworking?
- What discipline is appropriate for an employee who refuses to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment made by October 1).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payment made October 2 or later).
- Register for all three webinars in the Navigating the Return to the Federal Workplace series by October 1 and pay only $785.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Course Description
When you think about it, the federal workforce’s response to the pandemic was nothing short of remarkable. A majority of employees began working remotely for the first time in their careers. And by most accounts, it was a success.
So you’d think the eventual return back to the physical workspace would be a breeze.
Think again.
Even before the delta variant began ravaging the country, there was uncertainty on how to best return to the workplace. Now the variant has put us back almost to square one for a safe and easy return. This makes the Biden Administration’s recent Executive Order mandating all Federal employees and onsite contractors be vaccinated even more prescient.
Between the variant, the vaccination requirement, and the sheer challenge of creating a new hybrid work environment, there is more uncertainty than ever before. FELTG’s “The Return to the Workplace” webinar series offers to provide clear-cut answers, along with the appropriate framework for you to address these unique and unprecedented challenges.
October 12: Handling Pandemic-Related Reasonable Accommodation Requests and Medical Documentation
- How do you accommodate someone with ‘long COVID’ or post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)?
- What do you do with the results of an employee’s COVID-19 test?
- Where do you store the Certifications of Vaccination?
- Must you accommodate employees who refuse to get the vaccine?
- If a supervisor treats an employee like she has COVID-19, could that employee have a “regarded as” claim under the ADA/Rehabilitation Act?
- Do agencies have to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee who refuses to get the vaccine for religious reasons?
October 19: Vexing Vaccine Requirements: Responding to Requests for Exemptions
- Does asking the pre-vaccination screening questions create a violation of Title II of the Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act?
- Can you require employees to provide proof of vaccination, rather than simply “attest” to vaccination status?
- What do you do if an employee refuses to share his or her vaccination status?
- How will you determine whether an employee’s religion or medical condition requests vaccination exemptions?
- How do you hold remote workers accountable for performance and conduct?
- Is failure to comply with a COVID-19 screening test a performance or conduct issue?
- How do you provide a performance demonstration period for an employee who is teleworking?
- What actions can you take against employees who refuse to get vaccinated?
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per session (payment made by October 1).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made October 2 or later).
- Register for all three webinars by October 1 and pay only $785.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Program Description
There are several reasons why an EEO claim might be dismissed, but it’s not a decision that should be made too quickly or without much thought. A surprising number of agency dismissals are overturned by the EEOC each year. Don’t become another EEOC statistic.
FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson will review the lawful reasons for dismissing a claim — failure to state a claim, timeliness, collateral attack — and walk you through making that determination.
Learning objectives:
- Identify claims that do not fall under the EEO process
- Understand the components of timeliness in EEO claims
- Draft legally-sufficient acceptance and dismissal documents
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by November 8)
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made November 9 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.
Instructor
Course Description
That Nov. 22 date is inching closer. And as the date gets closer, your backlog of requests for exemptions to the Biden Administration’s vaccination requirement is likely to continue to grow.
Reasonable accommodation can be challenging during normal times. But there remain many unanswered questions about employees seeking vaccination exemptions for or disability or religious reasons. In this 90-minute webinar, Attorney at Law and FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson provides guidance for those challenges and answers questions, such as:
- What medical conditions that qualify as disabilities under the ADA could exempt an employee from the vaccination mandate?
- When can you question the sincerity of an employee’s espoused religious belief?
- What if the employee seeking a religious accommodation has a letter from his church?
- How does the undue hardship analysis relate to allowing unvaccinated employees to work from home full-time?
Get the answers to these questions – and your questions – BEFORE you become too overwhelmed with exemption requests.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site (payment made by November 8).
- Standard Tuition: $325 per site (payment made November 9 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.
Download Individual Registration Form
Instructors
Program Description
Substantial. Dramatic. Marked. Any of these adjectives would suffice in describing the 180-degree turn in the world of federal labor relations over the past year.
President Biden’s Executive Order rescinding numerous Trump Executive Orders meant immediate about-face changes in approaches to official time, bargaining topics, negotiation timeframes, and union responsibilities to pay for things they never had to pay for before. Most agencies are still grappling to adjust, meanwhile more change could be on the way if the Democratic nominee gets appointed.
In this two-hour virtual training event held from 1:00-3:00 PM eastern, Ann Boehm and Joe Schimansky will review the previous year of federal LR under the new Administration and provide a look ahead to what you can expect in 2022. When it comes to change in federal LR, these two presenters, who have a combined total of nearly 40 years working at the FLRA, have seen their fair share.
Ms. Boehm will explore the impact of EO 14003 and the Office of Personnel Management directives issued Oct. 20, 2021 that instruct Federal agencies to highlight collective bargaining rights for Federal employees. She’ll discuss the current status of the three-member Authority and the impact of having (potentially) a permanent General Counsel, a position that has sat vacant or left for someone in an acting capacity for far too long.
Mr. Schimansky will dive into the Authority’s precedent-altering decisions over the past year-and-a-half. The former Executive Director of the Federal Service Impasses Panel will not only explain what each decision means for Federal counsel, HR professionals, Labor Relations practitioners, and union representatives, but also detail which ones are most likely to be reversed under a Democratic majority.
Begin 2022 on the right note. Ensure that you are prepared to navigate the continued upheaval of federal labor relations. Register now for this engaging, timely, and highly useful training.
The program will be held from 1:00-3:00 PM eastern.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site (payment required by January 3)
- Standard Tuition: $325 per site (payments made January 4 or later)
- Rates per registrant. No split registrations permitted.
- Want to register a group? Group discounts are available through January 3. Contact FELTG.
Event FAQs
- Can I attend Virtual Training from my government computer?
- FELTG uses Zoom to broadcast this Virtual Training Institute event. Many government computers and systems allow Zoom access. If for some reason your firewall will not allow access, you’re welcome to use your personal email address to register, and to attend the sessions from your personal device.
- Can I earn CLE credits for this class?
- CLE applications are the responsibility of each attendee; FELTG does not apply for the credits on behalf of attendees. If you are seeking CLE credit, attendees may use the materials provided by FELTG in submission to your state bar. Attendees may also request a certificate of completion which will contain the number of training hours attended.
- Can I share my access link with co-workers?
- No. Registration for this event is per individual, and access links may not be shared. Each link may only be used by one person.
- Can I register a teleworker?
- This event is individual registration, so the cost is the same whether the person is teleworking or in an agency facility.
- How do I receive a group rate discount?
- Group rates are available for agencies registering 10 or more attendees for the full event. Group discounts are available through January 3.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.
Instructors
Course Description
EEO law protects employees from reprisal based on EEO activity, and retaliation is asserted in almost 45 percent of EEO complaints.
Think about that as you process the numerous religious and reasonable accommodation requests for exceptions to the vaccine mandate coming across your desk. Those requests are a protected EEO activity. The EEOC is concerned enough about retaliation in pandemic-related situations that it recently published guidance on the topic.
In this 75-minute webinar, FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson will walk you through the details of the EEOC guidance, discuss the various forms of EEO reprisal and why it’s the most common category in discrimination findings, and provide important guidance on what can be done to limit retaliation from happening at your agency.
This is an important area of focus in federal employee statutory protections, especially as it involves highly-charged emotional and political issues. Whether you’re an attorney, LER specialist, EEO specialist, or supervisor, you can’t afford to miss this event.
This webinar meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $295 per site (payment made by January 4).
- Standard Tuition: $325 per site (payment made January 5 or later).
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Program Description
As 2021 came to a close, agency leaders and supervisors worked diligently processing requests for exemptions to the vaccine mandate, and disciplining those who refused or failed to be vaccinated. Then on January 21, a Federal judge in Texas issue a nationwide injunction that brought everything to a screeching halt. But questions remain:
- Must you overturn discipline you’ve already taken against unvaccinated employees?
- Do employees who complied with the vaccine mandate in order to maintain their jobs have a route of grievance or appeal?
- Do you still process reasonable accommodation requests for exemptions?
- Can you still ask applicants for proof of vaccination status?
- Can you still enforce other safety protocols, such as masking?
- What happens if a higher court reinstates the mandate?
- How do you handle hostile workplace discrimination based on vaccination status?
- What does this mean for agencies that have established, or want to establish, their own vaccine requirements?
During this 60-minute webinar, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will provide answers to these and other questions — and she will take your questions as you try to navigate these uncertain issues, while at the same time your agency is making preparations to return employees to the physical workspace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $285 per site (payment required by February 7)
- Standard Tuition: $315 per site (payments made February 8 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.
Instructor
Program Description
Unlike the MSPB, the EEOC allows parties to file motions for summary judgment, potentially eliminating the need for a time-consuming, expensive, and risky hearing. Yet, many agencies fail to take advantage of this opportunity. During this 60-minute webinar, FELTG Instructor Katherine Atkinson will explain the the importance of the Report of Investigation and thorough discovery, the benefits of motions for for summary judgment (MSJs), and what to include in the MSJ to best represent your client and case.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify when to file a motion for summary judgment
- Organize for the motion
- Draft an effective motion that withstands third-party scrutiny
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by February 11)
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made February 12 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.
Instructor
Program Description
Recreational marijuana is legal in over 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.
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.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by February 16)
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made February 17 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.
Instructor
Course Description
It’s no secret that the FLRA Chair and the two other members of the Authority rarely see eye-to-eye. That was especially evident in a late 2021 decision that revealed widely differing opinions about the future of the covered-by doctrine. In this 60-minute webinar, Joseph Schimansky will explain the covered-by doctrine: what it is, and how it’s determined, plus the details of the Authority’s disagreement, and what it means to you as a labor relations practitioner or union representative. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask your questions and get answers in real time.
With the ever-changing nature of Federal LR and the prospect of the Authority soon shifting from a Republican majority to a Democratic majority, you won’t want to miss this event.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by March 7)
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made March 8 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.
Instructor
Course Description
A principle rule in findings of discrimination is to, as nearly as possible, place the victim in the position that person would have occupied but for the discrimination. This is easier said than done, because there’s no way to undo the harm caused by illegal employment discrimination.
Even still, damages and remedies is a topic that every EEO practitioner needs to understand, whether they’re preparing for hearing or negotiating a settlement. Bob Woods, attorney and FELTG instructor, will cover:
- Past and future pecuniary damages
- Non pecuniary damages
- Compensatory damages awards, and how the level of harm is directly related to the cap on damages!
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site, per webinar (payment required by March 9)
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per webinar (payments made March 10 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.
Instructor
Course Description
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 Katherine Atkinson will review recent EEO cases to share these mistakes so you know how to avoid them.
During this webinar, 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
- Whether long-term telework during the pandemic affects an agency’s processing of telework accommodation requests
- 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: $270 per site, per session (payment made by April 5).
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site, per session (payment made April 6 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
Course Description
After two-plus years of pandemic upheaval, agencies are finally bringing most employees back to the physical workplace, at least some of the time. After previous attempts were upended by COVID variants, agencies now have tangible plans on who is coming back, and when. And with those plans come brand-new challenges for your agency.
- Uncertainty about the future of the vaccination requirement.
- Medical considerations as new variants continue to circulate.
- Strongly held feelings and belief about COVID-related matters.
- Employees, now used to the flexibilities of remote work, who don’t want to return to the physical workplace.
- And the uncertainty about the new hybrid workplace that many agencies are creating.
FELTG’s “The Return to the Workplace” webinar series offers to provide clear-cut answers, along with the appropriate framework for you to address these unique and unprecedented challenges.
May 4: New EEO Challenges: Preventing Post-COVID Reprisal and Harassment
Rather than bringing people together to fight a common cause, the pandemic widened the deep politicization in this country, which, unfortunately, has filtered into workplaces. Federal agencies should be prepared to identify and handle expected increases in COVID-related reprisal and harassment. In this 60-minute webinar, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will provide answers to numerous questions, including:
- What’s the difference between COVID-related harassment and reprisal?
- How can you prevent adverse treatment of individuals who requested an exemption to the vaccine requirement?
- Is harassing someone who doesn’t believe in COVID an EEO issue?
- What parameters can employers set about COVID- and vaccine-related conversations in the workplace?
May 11: Managing Post-pandemic Reasonable Accommodation Requests and Medical Documentation
Before a Federal district judge in Texas issued an injunction on the vaccine requirement for many (but not all) Federal employees, many of you were dealing with multiple requests for exemptions. And with the injunction set to be lifted May 31, those requests – plus any new ones that are filed – will once again require processing. And even more new accommodation challenges await you, along with potential minefields that if not avoided could lead to ADA/Rehabilitation Action violations. In this 60-minute webinar, FELTG Instructor Ann Boehm will provide answers to numerous questions, including:
- How do you accommodate someone with ‘long COVID’?
- What do you do with the results of an employee’s COVID-19 test or vaccine documentation?
- If an employee successfully performed remotely, must you grant his accommodation request for permanent telework?
- Should you review all of the reasonable accommodations offered before employees return to the workplace?
- What should agencies be doing with all those requests for vaccine exemptions?
May 18: Managing Return-to-the-Workplace Conduct Challenges
Many Federal employees are eager to return to the physical workplace. However, it’s important to remember that there are just as many employees, if not more, who are comfortable in their current remote work situation, and do not look forward to a return. There are likely numerous other employees who continue to carry a chip on their shoulder about how the pandemic was handled. In this 60-minute webinar, FELTG President Deborah Hopkins will address how to handle some of the conduct challenges you’re likely to face. She’ll provide answers to numerous questions, including:
- Is failure to comply with a COVID-19 screening test or mask requirement a performance or conduct issue?
- Where do things stand with the vaccine requirement?
- What actions can you take against employees who refuse to return to the workplace?
- If an employee is AWOL, what options does your agency have?
- Can you discipline someone for publicly sharing their personal opinions about COVID restrictions?
This series meets the President’s mandate to provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the Federal workplace.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $290 per site, per session (payment made by April 25).
- Standard Tuition: $320 per site, per session (payment made April 26 or later).
- Register for all three webinars by April 25 and pay only $830.
Teleworkers may be added to a main site registration for $50 per webinar 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
Program Description
If you’ve been in the business for more than a few days, you know the importance of drafting legally-sufficient disciplinary charges, and making a reasonable penalty determination. Yet many agencies still lose cases because of poorly drafted charges. This session will cover the art and science behind drafting disciplinary charges, including the types of charges, parts of a charge, how charges are interpreted, and alternative charges. From there the discussion will cover the factors required to determine an appropriate penalty for employee misconduct. Plus, with a quorum now restored, we’ll look at how the brand-new MSPB views charges and penalties by deconstructing the first Board cases we’ve gotten in over five years.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Discuss the MSPB and Federal Circuit lead cases involving penalty determination.
- Defend the penalty using the Douglas Factors – or related penalty defense factors.
- Draft effective proposal and decision letters.
Price
- Early Bird Tuition: $270 per site (payment required by April 20)
- Standard Tuition: $295 per site (payments made April 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.