Who are the trainers?
One or more of the principles in Vitaro & Goodfriend – Samuel Vitaro and/or Jeffrey Goodfriend - do the actual training.
Is there a limit on attendees?
No, though for many of our classes we find that participation by about 30 individuals is best. We only charge more for very large classes, such as a presentation to more than a hundred individuals.
What are your fees?
Training
We generally charge a lump sum per training day per instructor. A negotiated bid will vary depending upon factors such as the proximity of the training location, and the length of the training. Our lump sum fee is inclusive of prior consultations concerning the areas of emphasis in the training and any sensitive current issues, tailoring the materials for specific agencies, providing a copy ready set of the materials, travel time, actually teaching the class and a briefing with senior management after the class. For an added fee we provide copies of the detailed course book for the class, which is used during the class and as a future reference by the attendees.
Investigations, Assessments, Fact-Finding and Mediations
We charge a daily fee, with each additional hour, on the same day, pro-rated at 1/8 of the daily fee. We are amenable to negotiating a lump sum bid for a project.
How about expenses?
For training our expenses are included in our lump sum proposed fee.
We have used videoconferencing for selected work that has enabled us to eliminate some or all of our travel expenses.
For investigations, assessments, fact-findings and mediations our travel expenses are our actual expenses, consistent with the limitations of the applicable federal sector travel and per diem. We bill for travel time as follows: First, we exercise billing judgment – i.e. if, as is often the case, we are able to do work related to the project we are traveling for, or other projects, we diminish, or eliminate, travel costs. There is no charge for local travel. We charge one half of our daily rate for travel up to 4 hours from our offices (depending upon the individual, as we have offices in Greenbrae and Lafayette, California). We charge our full daily rate for travel from four to eight hours from our offices, with travel beyond eight hours in a day billed at 1/8th of our daily fee.
Return from an investigation, assessment, fact-finding or mediation. There is no charge for travel to return to our office when the travel can be reasonably accomplished on the same day at the end of an arbitration or mediation, with arrival back at our office location prior to midnight. If this is not possible then the same rates apply as for travel to an investigation, assessment, fact-finding or mediation.
Do you allow videotaping, and, if so, is there a charge?
Yes we do and we can provide sample videotapes of our training. We do not charge any additional fee if, as is often the case, the videotape is to be used to train individuals who were unable to attend the scheduled training. We would negotiate a fee if the videotape were to be used largely in lieu of in person training.
What about on-line training?
We can also work with agencies to create specifically tailored on-line training.
Can we do training of agency employees in different locations?
We have experience in using video or audio connections to train individuals in various geographic locations, and also for mediations and arbitrations.
What about materials?
The materials we provide are intended to be used during the training and as a future reference by the participants. For example, please review the Table of Contents for the “EEO for Supervisors and Managers” course. In most of our training classes we provide a copy ready set of materials for duplication by the agency, usually in an electronic format, as an attachment to an e-mail. This is usually most cost effective for the agency. We also have duplicated the course materials, adding that cost to our fee, upon request by an agency.
Where is the training located?
One of the advantages of our training is that we do the training at agency locations. One or more of the principles from Vitaro & Goodfriend travel, not the many individuals who will be receiving the training, and thus agencies avoid considerable travel and per diem expenses. Most agencies use their own training facilities. Occasionally an agency will pay for a local hotel or conference center to use for the training to enable the participants to spend time off site.
Who is responsible for equipment?
Usually the agency provides: an overhead projector and computer for use in a PowerPoint presentation; a flip chart and markers; and tent cards and markers, though none of this equipment is required for our training.
How many instructors for each course?
The number of instructors varies. For example, there is usually one instructor for such classes as “EEO for Supervisors” and “EEO for Employees,” and two instructors for the “Prevention of Sexual Harassment Mock Trial.” If there is a sufficiently large class there may be three instructors for all or part of an Advocacy class.
Can you customize the training to suit the needs of an agency or organization?
Yes, we routinely do so. For example, the book that Employees Receive in their EEO class, and the 250 page book that Supervisors and Managers receive in their EEO class will have the specific individuals to contact: when an EEO harassment issue arises; when an employee or applicant asks for a reasonable accommodation of a disability; and when an individual asks for some form of alternative dispute resolution of a workplace dispute. The book will also incorporate the latest agency policies, such as prevention of sexual and other forms of EEO based harassment, responding to requests for reasonable accommodation of a disability and the use of alternative dispute resolution.
What about Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits?
We cooperate with attorneys requesting CLE credits from their state bar association and assume that they will receive such credit, for example for the eight hour “EEO Update” class that we teach.
How about certificates?
Upon request we provide signed certificates of completion of our training classes.
Do you certify mediators?
We have trained hundreds of federal employees to be mediators and provide a signed certificate of completion of our course. However, we are not associated with any accrediting organization for mediators.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes, we do.
What kind of investigations do you do?
The investigations are done by one or more of the principles in Vitaro, & Goodfriend– Samuel Vitaro and/or Jeffrey Goodfriend.
We provide timely, in-depth fact-findings for sensitive issues, such as a senior manager being accused of sexual harassment or other form of misconduct, or there is a notable allegation of whistleblower retaliation. Our reports can be limited to fact-finding but they can also include our conclusions. Agencies also occasionally ask us to include our recommendations such as what, if any charge and proposed penalty to impose (based upon our extensive experience in this area) if we conclude that there has been serious misconduct.
Another kind of investigation that we have done is an organizational assessment, such as when the capability of a senior manager of a component of a federal agency has been called into question, or when there is considerable discord within a component of a federal agency. We have done several organizational assessments for high profile organizations that have received considerable attention and scrutiny.
Depending upon the nature and sensitivity of the workplace issue we have captured information by: (1) summarizing interviews; (2) obtaining signed statements or declarations; and/or (3) having a court reporter transcribe the interviews.
On numerous occasions we have been successful at timely completing complex and sensitive investigations and inquiries, to include providing extensive and comprehensive written reports, briefing senior agency managers with our conclusions and recommendations and in ongoing assistance to help agencies to successfully resolve the issues.
