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Shaun Southworth leading a federal employment training session with members of the Southworth PC team
 

Federal Probationary Employees: OPM Walks Back Directive—What Now?

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If you're a probationary federal employee—or know someone who is—pay close attention. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has just issued a new memo clarifying that agencies, ...

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Protecting Your Federal Career: Telework & Reasonable Accommodations

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As agencies push aggressive return-to-office policies, federal employees requesting telework as a reasonable accommodation are facing an uphill battle. Many agencies are making cri...

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Mindful Strategies for Responding to Job Justification Emails

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Another weekend, another email demanding that you justify your job. If you’re feeling anxious, frustrated, or even harassed by these messages, you are not alone. This tactic is des...

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Federal RIFs: What You Need to Know and How to Protect Yourself

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A major shift may be coming for federal employees. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have issued a new memo outlining a two-pha...

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How Federal Employees Should Handle the OPM Email Request

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If you’re a federal employee who received an email from OPM asking for five bullet points on your work activities, you may be wondering how to respond—especially as major agencies ...

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Supreme Court’s Ruling on Independent Federal Officials: What Federal Employees Need to Know

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A recent Supreme Court decision has raised important questions about job security and independence within federal agencies. While the ruling may seem like a temporary victory for g...

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Protect Your Federal Career: Avoiding AWOL & Disciplinary Mistakes

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With return-to-work mandates rolling out, agencies are cracking down on telework. Many federal employees who have been working remotely for years now face strict orders to return t...

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Protect Your Federal Career: Prepare for Potential RIFs Now

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If you’re a federal employee with civil service protections, it’s time to pay attention. Reports indicate that reductions in force (RIFs) may be on the horizon. While probationary ...

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Federal Employees: Know Your Rights in the Reasonable Accommodation Process

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Navigating workplace accommodations as a federal employee can be frustrating, especially when agencies delay or dismiss requests. Under 29 CFR § 1630.2(o)(3) and EEOC guidance, fed...

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Federal Layoffs and Restructuring: What You Need to Know

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If you’re a federal employee, recent workforce reductions at agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and USAID should be on your radar. A federal judge has te...

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Federal Employees: Your Right to Telework and How to Protect It

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If you're a federal employee being called back to the office but need telework as a reasonable accommodation, know this—your agency cannot retaliate against you for making that req...

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Fired From Federal Job During Probation? Here’s What You Need to Know

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Losing your federal job during probation can feel like the end of the road, but it’s important to know that limited rights do not mean no rights. If you’ve been fired, you may stil...

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The Mindful Federal Employee is part of a broader public-education ecosystem from Shaun Southworth, Lydia Taylor, and Southworth PC. Use the resource that fits the question and the moment.

Podcast

Civil Rights for Civil Servants

Hear Shaun Southworth and Lydia Taylor explain federal employee rights, public service, workplace systems, and the people navigating them.

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About the people behind the work

Shaun Southworth & Lydia Taylor

Meet the federal employment attorneys behind this public-education work and the podcast Civil Rights for Civil Servants.

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