Federal Employee Relations: Advanced Casework and Governance (Self-Paced)

Complex Case Assessment and Legal Sufficiency

• Evaluating complex conduct and performance matters
• Identifying evidentiary, procedural, and documentation gaps
• Reviewing a proposed action for legal and procedural sufficiency
• Assessing the relationship between the charge, specifications, and supporting evidence
• Determining when to involve agency counsel or other specialists

High-Risk Adverse Actions and Due Process

• Managing complex and high-risk adverse-action cases
• Providing notice and a meaningful opportunity to respond
• Maintaining impartiality between proposing and deciding officials
• Evaluating employee replies and mitigating information
• Recognizing procedural errors that may affect an action

Penalty Governance and Comparator Analysis

• Applying the Douglas factors to penalty decisions
• Connecting the penalty to the facts and circumstances of the case
• Identifying appropriate comparators
• Evaluating similarities and distinctions among cases
• Reducing the risk of inconsistent or disparate penalties
• Documenting and defending the reasonableness of a penalty

Multi-Forum Risk and Case Coordination

• Recognizing matters that may involve EEO, labor relations, OSC, MSPB, privacy, or other forums
• Identifying overlapping claims, rights, and procedural requirements
• Determining when and how to coordinate with counsel and other offices
• Managing referrals and handoffs without compromising the case record
• Tracking deadlines and obligations across multiple forums

Defensible Case Files and Agency Records

• Building a complete and well-organized case file
• Documenting management decisions and supporting rationale
• Maintaining reliable evidence and records
• Preparing the agency record for third-party review
• Identifying common case-file weaknesses

Employee Relations Portfolio Governance

• Establishing agencywide standards for case quality
• Promoting consistent penalty practices across offices and components
• Reviewing trends, comparators, and recurring case risks
• Using quality-control reviews to strengthen employee relations practices
• Advising leadership on systemic risks and corrective actions