Renn C. Fowler is an attorney specializing in federal employment law. He maintains offices in Washington, DC, and Belfast, Maine, and he is of counsel in the firm of McNamara & L'Heureux, 1522 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia. He is also the Executive Director of the Federal Training Foundation and President of the Academy of Personnel Law and Administration. Mr. Fowler retired as the Associate General Counsel for the General Services Administration, where he was in charge of litigation. He also served as GSA's Regional Counsel in San Francisco and in the National Capitol Region, Washington, DC. Mr. Fowler lectures and writes extensively on federal personnel law and litigation; in addition to MSPB Charges and Penalties, his major works include Agency Advocacy Before the MSPB and EEOC; Litigating Federal Sector Employment and Labor Law Disputes; and A Guide to the Whistleblower Protection Action and Related Litigation. Mr. Fowler is a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland Bars, and he may be reached at 207-338-1474, 703-535-3014, or by e-mail at rennlaw@adelphia.net.

Annually-updated, a Dewey best seller. Using Board and Federal Circuit cases as examples, Charges & Penalties offers comprehensive analysis and authoritative advice on adverse actions, charge drafting, and penalty selection. Major topics include the basics of adverse actions and charges; causation; charge classification; specific, generic, and narrative charges; power charging; lesser-included offenses; charge interpretation; notice and due process; the conjunctive charge; indefinite suspensions and security-related charges; merging, selecting and drafting the charge; advice for proposing and deciding officials; the penalty; and charges and proof requirements. (more details)

Designed for all who work on conduct and performance issues and those who litigate cases, this book serves as a quick reference to federal employment litigation questions. Answers are provided in an easy to read and thorough manner. Major topics include building the case, the hearing, and EEOC and MSPB litigation. (more details)

This is a succinct analysis of decisions from administrative judges, MSPB, and the Federal Circuit involving damages in whistleblower cases. The guide includes an explanation of the Board’s authority to award damages in whistleblower cases. Each case analysis includes a description of controlling facts, including the type of harm—pecuniary, emotional distress, medical expenses, and losses in investments, and the amount awarded.(more details)

This text guides practitioners, HR specialists, and supervisors and managers through the complexities of adverse and performance-based actions, with discussion of the governing statutes, regulations, and decisions from the MSPB and Federal Circuit, and practical advice, strategies, and best practices for navigating these disciplinary processes. Major topics include discussion of the Civil Service Reform Act, statutory and regulatory requirements of adverse actions, the agency’s administrative process in taking adverse actions, substantive rights in performance-based actions, and the agency’s administrative process in taking performance-based actions. (more details)

With practice tips, this guide sorts the laws and procedures related to whistleblower reprisal. The guide includes in depth discussion of the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, noteworthy cases, and the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD-19). Major topics include legislative history and sources of law; OSC operations; corrective and disciplinary actions; IRAs and otherwise appealable actions; grievances and whistleblower reprisal claims; stays; burdens of proof; qualifying disclosures; prima facie cases and contributing factor analysis; clear and convincing evidence; remedies, damages and relief; administrative and judicial review; and intelligence community whistleblower protections. (more details)

RIFs will be the new “furloughs.” An understanding of RIFs is necessary to avoid mistakes. Employees, HR officials, agency counsels, and employee representatives will use this easy-to-use, yet comprehensive guide to master the regulations, statutes, and case law. Major topics include competitive levels and competitive areas, retention registers, bump and retreat rights, severance pay and DSRs, veterans preference, and demotion and termination appeals(more details).

This guide provides everything needed in dealing with procedural and due process issues. Major topics include due process and the statutory scheme; liberty and property and what’s due; the Stone, Ward Criteria, Analytical Model; ex parte communication; Stone, Ward factors in actual practice; agency investigations—constitutional concerns; due process and the agency process; the Ward model—due process and harmful error; due process—security clearances, base bars. (more details)

The Art of Advocacy is a thorough, yet concise, instructional text on effective advocacy before the MSPB and arbitrators. Major topics include the basics and importance of advocacy, Board and arbitration practice fundamentals, proof requirements, preappeal advocacy, discovery, motion practice, direct and cross examination, oral and written advocacy, and settlements. (more details)

Maximize discovery and fully develop the agencies defenses to underlying causes of action before the EEOC with the use of sample interrogatories, document requests, instructions, and definitions patterned after actual cases. (more details)

A practicum in disciplinary charges, this e-training software explores the complex nature of this critical element of adverse actions. Video and audio clips, reference to real world examples, and interactive questions help guide and explain the elements of charges and how to properly frame them. (more details)