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.
Federal employees planning retirement often expect delays. What is harder to accept is a delay caused by the government reducing the very staff responsible for processing earned benefits. That is the ...
Recent sworn testimony from FEMA leadership raises a critical issue for federal employees: what happens when an agency sets workforce reduction targets before determining operational needs? According ...
A reduction in force (RIF) is supposed to be a defined process with a clear endpoint: notice, separation date, and either termination or rescission. What is unfolding at the State Department—hundreds ...
A recent budget proposal seeks $166 million to expand FBI counterterrorism efforts, including a multi-agency initiative to “proactively identify” domestic extremism. The language matters. Rather than ...
Federal employees are right to pause when they hear that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is requesting large-scale health data from FEHB carriers. On paper, OPM has clear authority to oversee...
Many federal employees assume that once a buyout is signed—whether through VERA, VSIP, or a DRP—that decision is final. In most cases, that assumption is correct. These agreements are designed to be b...
Under 5 U.S.C. § 8423, federal employers “shall” contribute to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). That language is mandatory, not discretionary. For most agencies, the analysis would end ...
Federal employees often assume that HIPAA protects their medical information at work. That assumption is understandable—but incorrect. HIPAA governs healthcare providers and insurers, not federal agen...
Federal employees and veterans alike understand that government systems are supposed to provide stability—especially in times of crisis. But recent changes to VA-backed mortgage relief programs have c...
One of the most frustrating realities in federal employment law is that even a successful case can carry hidden costs. A recent Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) decision offers meaningful relief....
A federal court in Rhode Island recently refused to dismiss the challenge to the March 27 HHS reorganization and reduction in force (RIF). That decision matters because it confirms the plaintiffs—seve...
The FY2027 budget proposal offers something federal employees rarely receive this clearly: a roadmap of priorities. While it is not yet law, it reflects where leadership intends to shrink—and where it...
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