FLRA's Training & ADR Programs

Consistent with its statutory charge to provide leadership in establishing policies and guidance relating to the Federal labor-management relations program, the FLRA provides training and education for labor and management representatives and other practioners, including arbitrators, on the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, the FLRA's Regulations and case processing procedures.  In addition to hosting training sessions at FLRA headquarters in Washington, D.C. and Regional Office cities across the country, the FLRA develops and delivers programs at various training conferences and, where appropriate, on-site for members of the labor-management community.  Many of the FLRA's training programs are also available as web-based modules (see the links below), bringing educational tools and resources directly to your desk to further assist you in resolving labor-management disputes.  Click here for the FLRA's training contacts.  And for more detailed information about the Office of the General Counsel's training programs, including schedules and materials, click here. 

The FLRA also integrates alternative dispute resolution (ADR) into virtually all of its processes, and its Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (CADRO) is dedicated to delivering ADR and facilitation services and training to parties in pending cases and the labor-management community generally.  All components of the FLRA assist parties in resolving their disputes using consensus-decision making and ADR techniques to reduce litigation and its related costs.  This includes interest-based conflict resolution and intervention services in pending negotiability appeals, arbitration cases, impasse bargaining disputes, unfair labor practice cases, and representation cases.  Click here for more information about the FLRA's CADRO and ADR efforts, and who to contact if you want ADR and facilitation services or training.

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The Authority offers comprehensive arbitration training, addressing procedural and substantive matters involving the processing of arbitration awards before the Authority, ranging from filing and service requirements to legal standards that apply in the review of arbitration awards, including remedies. 

The OGC offers a Basic Statutory training course covering meetings(including formal discussion, Weingarten and bypass); duty to bargain (including de minimis and "covered by"); interference and discrimination; scope of bargaining; information requests under the Statute; timeliness; and § 7116(d).  The Advanced Statutory training course builds upon the Basic course, providing a more in-depth review of collective bargaining and related topics, using hypotheticals and interactive exercises.

For schedules and materials, click here to go to the OGC's Statutory training page.

The OGC offers comprehensive training on representation matters that includes the effects of reorganizations on the bargaining unit status of affected employees and unions, successorship and accretion issues, the procedural and substantive matters involving the processing of representation petitions.

For schedules and materials, click here to go to the OGC's training page.

The Authority offers comprehensive negotiability training covering procedural and substantive matters involving the processing of negotiability appeals, as well as the legal standards and principles that apply in determining the legality of contract language (either proposed or disapproved on agency head review) and whether or not parties have an obligation to bargaining.  

The FSIP offers comprehensive training addressing the procedural and substantive matters involving the resolution of bargaining impasses between Federal agencies and unions representing Federal employees arising from negotiations over conditions of employment under the Statute and the Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act.

The FLRA's CADRO provides ADR and facilitation services, resources, training, and educational tools for FLRA customers.  In addition, CADRO provides  consensus decision-making and interest-based problem solving training to assist management and labor in developing and maintaining collaborative relationships generally and under EO 13522.

The FLRA provides a variety of web-based and on-site education and training programs on creating cooperative labor-management relationships to foster efficient government operations, and bargaining over 5 U.S.C. § 7106(b)(1) matters under President Obama's Executive Order 13522, Creating Labor-Management Forums to Improve the Delivery of Government Services.

Click here for the FLRA and FMCS joint training on EO 13522.

The FLRA's web-based trainings can be accessed through the links below:

OGC Web-based Training on EO 13522 -- Creating Labor Management Forums

FLRA Web-based Interactive Training on Bargaining Over 5 U.S.C. § 7106(b) Matters:

Federal Employees must set up an account here with OPM's HR University, and click on “Course Catalog” to find the link to the “FLRA -- Bargaining over 5 U.S.C. Section 7106(b)(1) Matters."

Non-Federal Employees click here for VA HR Academy.

FLRA Web-based Interactive Basic Statutory Training: 

Federal Employees must set up an account here with OPM's HR University, and click on “Course Catalog” to find the link to the “FLRA Basic Statutory Training."    

Non-Federal Employees click here for VA HR Academy. 

FLRA Web-based FSIP Process and Procedures Training:

Federal Employees must set up an account here with OPM's HR University, and click on “Course Catalog” to find the link to the “FLRA FSIP Process and Procedures Training."

Non-Federal Employees click here for VA HR Academy.

FLRA Web-based Comprehensive Arbitration Training:

Federal Employees must set up an account here with OPM's HR University, and click on “Course Catalog” to find the link to the “FLRA Comprehensive Arbitration Training."

Non-Federal Employees click here for VA HR Academy.