April 2021 Federal Employment Law Training Group Newsletter
On the Road Again
Many of you have been asking when FELTG plans to return to the physical classroom, and today I finally have an answer for you. Our plan is to begin hosting open enrollment classes in person (with safety protocols) starting with Workplace Investigations Week in Denver August 2-6, followed by Absence, Leave Abuse & Medical Issues Week in Washington, DC August 9-13, and Federal Workplace Challenges: Managing Performance, Conduct, Reasonable Accommodation, and Behavioral Health Issues in Hawaii August 25-27. We also have events planned for September; check out the complete list of open enrollment classes here. And register soon, because we’re limiting class sizes amid COVID restrictions.
More good news: Most of our instructors have been vaccinated, or are in the process of doing so, and are ready to travel to provide onsite training to your agencies. And for those of you still not ready or able to get back out there on the road, we’ve got plenty of virtual training on the upcoming schedule (including classes on performance feedback, nondiscriminatory hiring, and EEOC-ordered compliance training).
In this month’s newsletter, we fondly remember the life and memory of a FELTG founder who left this world too soon, discuss new trainings on the White House’s priorities for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), explain what to do with poorly trained “service animals,” the return of OPM, religious accommodation requests, and much more.
Take care,
Deborah J. Hopkins, FELTG President
Are You a Microaggressor?
April 20, 2021 With deep sadness, we note the recent death of Ernie Hadley. Ernie was a founder and the first President of FELTG, and was a beloved instructor. He served the Federal employment law community for more than 30 years as a strong advocate for employee...
The Golden Doodle Who Wouldn’t Nuzzle: A Service Dog, or Not?
By Deborah Hopkins, April 20, 2021 While preparing the materials for an upcoming training session Ricky Rowe and I are presenting at FELTG’s annual Emerging Issues in Federal Employment Law virtual forum, I came across a case that I thought prudent to share –...
The Good News: OPM is Back (I Think)!
By Ann Boehm, April 20, 2021 A mere two years ago, a move was afoot to abolish the Office of Personnel Management. You know, OPM – the entity created by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 that “serves as the chief human resources agency and personnel policy manager...
Being a Member of Protected Class Is Not a Free Pass to Harass Others
By Meghan Droste, April 20, 2021 It’s hard to believe it’s been more than a year since I’ve been able to teach a class in person. I’m so grateful that we live in a time when technology makes it possible for us to continue teaching and learning in a virtual...
What Is Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA)?
By Michael Rhoads, April 20, 2021 Biden administration has set a striking tone when it comes to Diversity and Inclusion. OPM has always taken a lead role in defining Diversity and Inclusion, which it has now expanded to include two other related concepts, Equity and...
Director of EE Oh No: When HR Practitioners Fail to Perform Part III
By Barbara Haga, April 20, 2021 This third column will focus on how discipline might fit with the situation described first in the February column. Just a quick recap: An IG investigation resulting from an OSC complaint found that the head of the EO Office at an Air...
Opening Up the Damns About Supervisor Rules and Return to Physical Workplace
By Dan Gephart, April 20, 2021 I was moderating one of the recent webinars in our Supervisory Webinar Series (there are still a lot of great sessions left and you can still register) when FELTG President Deborah Hopkins was discussing the Five Elements of Discipline,...
Tips From the Other Side: Employee Responsibility and Religious Accommodation Requests
By Meghan Droste, April 20, 2021 Welcome to the latest installment of our discussion of religious accommodations. So far, we have looked at various obligations agencies have when processing requests for accommodations, namely what an agency needs to prove in order to...
New ARPA Presumption Expands Federal Workers’ Comp Coverage
By Frank Ferreri, April 20, 2021 The one constant that has emerged in the COVID-19 era is that things will change, and such has been the case with Federal workers’ compensation coverage. Early on in the pandemic, the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs made it...
The Performance Equation Adds Up To Better-Prepared Supervisors
By Anthony Marchese, April 20, 2021 Most organizations do a great job developing strategy and working with divisions and departments to cascade goals to employees. Yet, the vast majority of supervisors seek support to help employees translate their goals into...