The Federal Employee Survival Blog

Cut through the jargon and get the clarity you need to stay a step ahead of agency politics. Each article unpacks new policy shifts, court rulings, and workplace trends, then turns them into actionable tactics—so you can head off discipline, invoke EEO or whistleblower protections with confidence, and keep your documentation airtight. We also archive our most popular social-media explainer threads here, giving you the same insights followed by more than 150,000 people online even if you never scroll on those sites. Read, prepare, and keep your federal career firmly in your control.

 
How to File a RIF Appeal with the MSPB: Your Fast-Track Guide federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals pro se representation rif Jul 29, 2025

When a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice lands in your inbox, the panic can be paralyzing. Questions spiral: What’s my deadline? Do I have any rights? Should I hire a lawyer? And while some answers depe...

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Judge Orders Full RIF Plans Released by July 23 eo 14210 federal employment judge illston ruling mspb appeals rif Jul 21, 2025

A federal judge has ordered the release of agency-wide Reduction in Force (RIF) blueprints by July 23. If you’re a GS-9 or higher employee concerned about your job security, this ruling offers both cl...

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Why Some Agencies Are Pausing RIFs—and What It Means for You federal employment federal layoffs federal workforce mindfulness at work rif Jul 17, 2025

Some agencies that once charged ahead with mass reductions in force (RIFs) are now quietly tapping the brakes. Officially, they’re citing early retirements and voluntary departures as sufficient workf...

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What Federal Employees Need to Know About the Latest HHS RIF federal employment hhs rif mspb appeals rif severance pay Jul 17, 2025

If you’re among the many federal employees stunned by a Reduction in Force (RIF) email, you’re not alone—and you’re not powerless. In the wake of HHS issuing revised RIF notices tied to the paused Apr...

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Agencies Reassess RIFs Amid Voluntary Exits and Legal Pressure federal employment legal rights mindfulness at work opm rif Jul 16, 2025

If you’re a federal employee watching the Reduction in Force (RIF) situation unfold, you’re likely feeling the emotional whiplash. Just this week, the White House admitted to tracking 70 active RIF ac...

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Supreme Court RIF Ruling Threatens Department of Education’s Future department of education federal employment rif separation of powers supreme court Jul 15, 2025

In an extraordinary and troubling move, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has allowed the Department of Education to sideline 1,378 employees—more than half its workforce—without issuing a ful...

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Federal Layoffs, FEMA Failures, and What Federal Workers Must Do Now civil service rights federal employment fema rif supreme court ruling Jul 14, 2025

While floodwaters rose in Texas and 120 Americans waited helplessly on rooftops, FEMA’s call centers were overwhelmed with more than 16,000 cries for help. Yet 84% of those calls went unanswered. Why?...

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Supreme Court Ruling Protects Federal Task Forces administrative law federal employment mindfulness at work rif supreme court Jul 01, 2025

Last week, while many federal employees waited anxiously for the Supreme Court’s decision on the nationwide RIF freeze, the Court quietly handed down a ruling with enormous implications for how our go...

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Will the Supreme Court End Nationwide Injunctions? federal employment mindfulness at work nationwide injunctions rif supreme court Jun 26, 2025

For federal employees anxiously watching legal developments around the nationwide RIF injunctions, today—Thursday, June 26, 2025—could be pivotal. Not necessarily because of a direct ruling on the red...

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Congress May Grant Sweeping Powers to Restructure Federal Agencies civil service protections federal employment mspb appeals reorganizing government act rif Jun 18, 2025

Buried in the latest Senate reconciliation bill is a proposal that could profoundly alter the federal civil service. The Reorganizing Government Act of 2025 would revive executive powers not seen sinc...

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SCOTUS RIF Ruling Could Trigger Massive Federal Layoffs federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals rif scotus layoffs Jun 06, 2025

Federal employees across agencies—from the IRS to HHS—are awaiting a pivotal Supreme Court decision that could either trigger or prevent the largest wave of federal layoffs in modern history. This leg...

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96% Pushbacks from District Courts: What It Means for Your Job appeals court trends district court injunctions federal employment public comment violations rif May 28, 2025

May brought a wave of legal defeats for the administration—26 out of 27 challenged actions were struck down in federal district courts. If you're a federal employee worried about your job, those rulin...

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