The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) has redesigned its Learning Management System (LMS). Previous LMS users will need to register for a new account using their .gov e-mail, and establish a unique password. For more information, visit our FAQ page. If you have any further questions, please contact the OCWR’s Outreach and Education Team at OCWRtraining@ocwr.gov.
The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) provides a program of education and training to inform legislative branch staff of their rights and responsibilities under the laws applied by the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA). The program includes an online learning management system (LMS); a 45-minute educational video on the CAA; video tutorials; quarterly e-newsletters; and downloadable brochures, which inform and promote workplace rights and accessible and hazard-free workplaces. Additionally, the OCWR regularly conducts both in-person and virtual training sessions on the CAA, and a wide variety of CAA-related topics.
All OCWR training modules are outlined below. If your office is interested in receiving a live, customizable training program, please contact the OCWR’s Education and Outreach Team at OCWRtraining@ocwr.gov.
CAA Required Training
The CAA Reform Act of 2018 requires legislative branch offices to develop and implement a program to train and educate covered employees on their rights and protections under the CAA. The OCWR provides training on the CAA that outlines the substantive provisions of the CAA and the OCWR’s administrative dispute resolution procedures to resolve claims of violation of the CAA.
The OCWR’s training satisfies the CAA training requirement for many employing offices of the legislative branch. However, in accordance with House Resolution, House staff are required to receive training by an official provider designated by the Committee on House Administration to comply with House Resolution. Senate staff may receive training from the OCWR to comply with the CAA training mandate, and may contact their office to ensure compliance with training requirements as outlined by Senate Resolution.
Training Catalog
Offices may request the OCWR provide training on the following topics:
- Age Discrimination
- Bystander Intervention
- The Congressional Accountability Act and the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights
- The Congressional Accountability Act: Recognizing and Preventing Discrimination and Harassment
- Civility in the Workplace
- Implicit Bias
- Labor-Management Rights
- Resilience
Please see the Training Catalog page for more information on training modules.
Request Training
You may request training from the OCWR by contacting the Education and Outreach Team at OCWRtraining@ocwr.gov, or by calling the OCWR at (202) 724-9250.
Upon completion of training, the OCWR may provide a certificate of completion. Please contact the OCWR for more information.
Online Learning Management System (LMS)
The OCWR utilizes the LMS for certain training modules. To enroll in training, staff must first register for a free account on the LMS website. After completing a training module, the LMS will generate and provide users with a certificate of completion. The OCWR currently offers the following modules via the LMS portal:
- Recognizing and Preventing Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace
- Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Congressional Workplace
- Preventing Disability Discrimination in the Congressional Workplace
To meet the training requirements of the U.S. Senate, employees may select “Recognizing and Preventing Discrimination and Harassment in the Congressional Workplace” to receive a certificate.
Video Tutorials
The OCWR provides a series of educational video modules on subjects related to the CAA. These modules include:
General Counsel’s Brown Bag Lunch Series
Attorneys in the OCWR’s Office of the General Counsel conduct a Brown Bag Lunch Series for legal counsel within the legislative branch employing offices. The series is designed to educate participants about key issues and legal developments under the laws applied by the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA). The goal of these sessions is to promote the employing offices’ compliance with the laws applied by the CAA, by ensuring that their counsel have a thorough and nuanced understanding of the employing offices’ legal obligations to their employees.
View supplemental reference materials related to the General Counsel’s Brown Bag Presentations.
General Counsel’s Labor-Management Forums
Attorneys in the OCWR’s Office of the General Counsel regularly conduct presentations for attorneys and representatives of labor organizations and management of employing offices within the legislative branch. These Forums are designed to educate the participants about key issues affecting unions and unionized employers covered by the Congressional Accountability Act. In addition to promoting compliance with relevant laws and regulations, the Office of the General Counsel intends the Forums to help foster stable labor relations and good faith collective bargaining within the legislative branch.
View supplemental reference materials related to the General Counsel’s Labor-Management Forums.