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.

 
RIF Litigation Update: Three Cases Every Federal Employee Must Watch federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals opm authority rif litigation Sep 09, 2025

Federal employees across agencies are facing reductions in force (RIFs) at an unprecedented pace. While some layoffs have already gone forward, the courts are still weighing critical legal questions. ...

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OPM’s Plan to End Progressive Discipline: What Federal Employees Need to Know federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals opm rule changes progressive discipline Sep 08, 2025

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has signaled it may eliminate the requirement that agencies use progressive discipline. If that rule is repealed, federal managers could bypass warnings, suspe...

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The Risk of Ending Progressive Discipline in Federal Employment federal employment mspb appeals opm rules progressive discipline workplace fairness Sep 08, 2025

For decades, the federal workplace has recognized that mistakes happen and that growth is part of the process. Progressive discipline reflects this truth: employees receive coaching, warnings, or susp...

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Department of War Rebrand: What It Means for Federal Employees department of defense federal employment federal workforce rights mindfulness at work mspb appeals Sep 08, 2025

The Department of Defense is no more—it’s now officially the Department of War. While the shift may sound dramatic, the reality for federal employees is far less exciting. No new funding, no staff inc...

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When Agencies Are Reassigned to ICE: What Federal Workers Must Know agency rights federal employment ice reassignments mindfulness at work mspb appeals Sep 05, 2025

Recent reports confirm that tens of thousands of federal employees—many with no connection to immigration enforcement—are being reassigned to ICE. Nearly 20,000 workers from agencies like IRS, FBI, DE...

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Trump’s Proposed OPM Rules Could Gut Federal Job Protections federal employment federal job protections opm regulations progressive discipline rif appeals Sep 05, 2025

Federal employees, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) just previewed regulations that would mark one of the most sweeping rollbacks of civil service protections in decades. These proposals, fram...

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RFK Jr.’s Fiery HHS Testimony: What Federal Employees Should Note cdc federal employment hhs testimony mindfulness at work professionalism Sep 05, 2025

When the Secretary of Health and Human Services testifies before Congress, federal employees expect a measured defense of science, policy, and public health. Instead, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. turned his ...

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FEMA Workforce Cuts Raise Alarms Ahead of Disaster Season disaster preparedness federal employment fema workforce gao report mindfulness at work Sep 04, 2025

When FEMA stumbles, the consequences ripple across the nation. A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlights a startling reality: FEMA entered the 2025 disaster season with only 12% o...

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When Federal Grand Juries Say No: What It Means for Feds doj credibility federal employment grand jury legal accountability mindfulness at work Sep 04, 2025

Federal employees know better than most how rarely grand juries push back on the Department of Justice. Yet, last week in Washington, D.C., something extraordinary happened: four separate federal gran...

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VA Staffing Caps: What Federal Employees Need to Know federal employment federal job security mindfulness at work rif risk va staffing Sep 04, 2025

Starting October 1, the Department of Veterans Affairs will begin enforcing what it calls “baseline” staffing caps across all divisions—health, benefits, and cemeteries. According to reporting from Go...

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Finding Strength in Transition: How Federal Employees Can Use Mantras to Regain Focus, Peace, and Confidence federal employment mantra mindfulness Sep 03, 2025

Introduction: The Weight of the DRP Decision

For many federal employees, the Discontinued Service Retirement (DRP) or early-out options feel like a lifeline when they first appear. The uncertainty of...

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Why Moving U.S. Space Command Risks National Security federal employment national security relocation costs space command workforce retention Sep 03, 2025

U.S. Space Command is not a symbolic outpost—it is the nerve center for tracking missiles, defending satellites, and guarding against hostile actions from nations like China, Russia, and North Korea. ...

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Stay informed, stay protected. The Federal Employee Briefing delivers expert insights on workforce policies, legal battles, RTO mandates, and union updates—so you’re never caught off guard. With job security, telework, and agency shifts constantly evolving, we provide clear, concise analysis on what’s happening, why it matters, and what you can do next.

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