Training

 Email Updates

Virtual Training Courses Offered by OIP | Yearly Training Courses Offered by OIP and OLE | OIP Training Material
Agency Specific Training Events and Meetings | Public Training Events and Meetings| Digital Training Resources 

OIP regularly conducts training sessions throughout the year on all aspects of the FOIA and on a wide variety of FOIA related topics, including virtual training, yearly training (offered in connection with the Office of Legal Education), agency specific training, as well as public training events and meetings.  Descriptions of these sessions as well as training materials, such as slide presentations and handouts accompnaying OIP's most popular programs and specialized training sessions, are provided below.  Feel free to contact OIP if your agency is interested in specialized FOIA training. 

Training is open to federal government employees only and registration is required.  To register for any of the training seminars listed below, please visit OIP's Eventbrite page to select the course and date you would like to attend.  Please register for all training sessions using your government email address.  Please note that registration for each course opens no earlier than three months in advance.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite.  OIP will email materials shortly before the course date.       

Additionally, please contact OIP's Training Coordinator if you require any special accommodations such as a sign language interpreter.  In order to arrange for such accommodations, we ask that you provide this notice at least five (5) business days in advance of the training. 

All sessions, unless otherwise noted, are held in Washington, DC at a DOJ facility.  Once the capacity for each session has been reached, a waiting list will be started and you will be notified when attempting to register.  If space becomes available, you will be sent an email from Eventbrite providing you a short period of time to confirm your spot in the class.  If you are placed on the waitlist, please note that space may not become available until a day or so leading up to the program; OIP’s Training Staff will advise you of any change in your registration status as soon as possible.

 All full-day or multi-day courses generally begin at 9:00 am and end by 4:30 pm.

If you have any questions, please contact OIP's Training Coordinator at (202) 514-FOIA (3642).

Introduction to the Freedom of Information Act 

This full-day program provides attendees with a basic overview of the FOIA as well as a hands-on workshop focused on the procedural requirements involved in processing a FOIA request from start to finish, including:

• An overview of the FOIA’s procedural requirements,
• an overview of FOIA exemptions,
• basic principles for processing FOIA requests from start to finish, 
• communicating with requesters,
• searching for and reviewing documents, and
• preparing final determinations and responses.

This course is intended for:

• FOIA Professionals with less than 1 year of experience,
• FOIA professionals responsible for processing requests, and
• agency personnel who work with FOIA only occasionally or need a general familiarity with the FOIA in order to recognize and handle FOIA-related issues.

The Freedom of Information Act for Attorneys and Access Professionals

This two-day program provides multiple lectures and workshops for a comprehensive overview of the FOIA, including:

• An overview of the FOIA’s procedural requirements and exemptions,
• workshops on individual FOIA Exemptions,
• basic principles for processing FOIA requests from start to finish,
• the FOIA’s proactive disclosure requirements, and
• the interface between the FOIA and the Privacy Act.

This course is intended for:

• FOIA professionals with any level of experience seeking a detailed training all major aspects of FOIA administration, and
• any other agency professionals who interact with the FOIA as a part of their duties, including paralegals, records managers, and attorneys.

FOIA Litigation Seminar

This full-day program provides lectures and instruction on considerations that arise in the course of FOIA litigation, including:

• Guidance on successful litigation strategy,
• advanced litigation considerations, and
• details on the preparation of Vaughn Indices and declarations.

 This course is intended for:

• Attorneys who handle FOIA litigation, and
• FOIA professionals who handle FOIA requests in litigation and/or work on FOIA litigation matters.

The materials below are provided to assist agencies participating in OIP's FOIA training courses.  OIP will update the materials as needed to incorporate changes in FOIA law and policy.  Please contact OIP's Training Coordinator at (202)-514-FOIA (3642) with questions or feedback. 

OIP holds various types of events and meetings to bring together agency personnel and the requester community.  These events help facilitate dialogue between agency FOIA professionals and FOIA requesters in order to make the administration of the FOIA work better for all parties involved.  Whenever OIP decides to hold a public training event or meeting, there will be an announcement in FOIA Post with details on the type of event and its location.

Digital FOIA Training Resources

OIP has developed a suite of FOIA resources designed to train all levels of the federal workforce to understand their FOIA responsibilities.  

Memorandum from Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta to Agency General Counsels and Chief FOIA Officers of Executive Departments and Agencies Regarding Freedom of Information Act Training

OIP's collection of training tools are designed to help ensure that these important resources are available for all federal employees -- from the senior executive, to agency program personnel, to the FOIA professionals responsible for processing records for disclosure.  These resources are listed below alongside links and instructions for how to access them: 

• FOIA Infographic - A one page handout covering FOIA basics for all employees new to the federal workforce. (Updated 2022)
• Three modules for use in agency e-learning systems
  • Freedom of Information Act Training for Executives – A 15-minute course that provides a basic overview of the FOIA and explains how this law impacts agency leaders.  Topics covered include an overview of the FOIA, proactive disclosure, reporting and accountability, and FOIA resources and support. 
  • Freedom of Information Act Training for Federal Employees – A 1-hour course that provides a primer on the FOIA and explains how employees can assist your agency in FOIA administration.  Topics covered include who can make a request, the FOIA's time limits, and searching for responsive records. 
  • Freedom of Information Act Training for FOIA Professionals – An in-depth course designed specifically for FOIA professionals and addressing all of the major procedural and substantive requirements of the law.  Topics covered include receiving and acknowledging FOIA requests, statutory protections for sensitive information, working in a spirit of cooperation, and providing good customer service.

The files for the three FOIA e-Learning modules can be accessed through OMB Max Drive.  These files should be directly uploaded into your agency’s Learning Management System.  You can share these links with or provide the downloaded .zip files to your agency’s e-Learning staff.  The courses must be uploaded into the Learning Management System before they can be taken by agency staff.  

• Training for Executives
• Training for Federal Employees
• Training for FOIA Professionals

If your agency does not have a Learning Management System to load the above files, the courses can be accessed via web browser at the below links.

• Training for Executives
• Training for Federal Employees
• Training for FOIA Professionals   

If you have any questions, please contact OIP’s Training Coordinator at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov.