# Advanced Suitability Adjudication Course (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/advanced-suitability-adjudication-course-self-paced>

## Overview

Update and refresh your suitability adjudication skills. Review the adjudication process, the specific factors and additional considerations covered by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations, and OPM's "Issues Characterization Chart" so that you can make better decisions, avoid reversals on appeal, and safeguard the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Federal service.

## What you'll learn

- Adhere to OPM processes.
- Adjudicate Suitability cases using appropriate criteria and sufficient evidence.
- Consider the impact of recent MSPB and U.S. Court of Appeals decisions on your suitability decisions.

## Curriculum

#### Module 1: PowerPoint Slides

- Full set of course presentation slides for the Advanced Suitability Adjudication program.
- Covers adjudication process under 5 CFR 731, position designation guidelines, and investigative procedures.
- Includes case study examples, due process steps, significant suitability cases, and credit reporting considerations.
- Highlights strategies for conducting effective investigations and interviews.

#### Module 2: Exercises 1 thru 3

- Practice scenarios to reinforce adjudication principles from the PowerPoint slides.
- Opportunities to work through hypothetical adjudication cases.
- Focus on questioning techniques, evaluating evidence, and making determinations consistent with OPM guidance.
- Includes individual and group activities for collaborative learning.

#### Module 3: OPM Guidance

- Reference materials from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
- Includes official policies, procedures, and interpretations related to suitability adjudication.
- Provides regulatory excerpts, memoranda, and policy statements for agency compliance.
- Ensures consistency in decision-making across cases.

#### Module 4: Credit Issues and Adjudication Worksheets

- Resources addressing the role of credit history in adjudication decisions.
- Worksheets for evaluating credit reports and identifying patterns of concern.
- Guidance on documenting findings in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
- Balancing financial considerations with other adjudicative factors.

#### Module 5: Aguzie v. OPM Removal Tenured Employee Case

- Detailed case file and analysis of the Aguzie v. OPM decision.
- Explores removal of a tenured federal employee based on suitability factors.
- Reviews procedural requirements and evidentiary considerations.
- Discusses implications for future adjudication decisions.

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $1049