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.

 
Senate Floated Piecemeal Reopening: Here's What It Means appropriations dod civilians federal employment government shutdown mindfulness at work Oct 09, 2025

Senate leaders are floating a plan to pass full-year funding one agency at a time, with Defense likely first. In plain terms: some components could return to work and receive back pay sooner, while ot...

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Are Furloughed Federal Employees Guaranteed Back Pay? back pay rights federal employment government shutdown mindfulness at work mspb appeals Oct 09, 2025

For many federal employees, this shutdown feels different. Early this week, the administration floated a new legal argument claiming that furloughed workers might not be automatically entitled to back...

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Shutdown RIF Threats Ease—for Now federal employment government shutdown mindfulness at work mspb appeals rif rights Oct 08, 2025

Federal employees, take a breath. As of today, the White House appears to be stepping back from immediate plans for large-scale Reductions in Force (RIFs). That’s not a promise the idea is gone—it’s s...

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Shutdown Update: What’s Really Happening — and When It Could End federal employee rights federal employment government shutdown mindfulness at work rif Oct 06, 2025

As October 2025 unfolds, the federal shutdown shows no signs of quick resolution. Beneath the headlines, this is less a funding glitch and more a contest of leverage. Congress has failed four times to...

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Government Shutdown Nears an End: What Federal Employees Should Watch federal employment federal workforce furlough rights government shutdown senate filibuster Oct 03, 2025

After weeks of uncertainty, there’s a cautious sense of hope. The latest political signals suggest that the government shutdown—now one of the most disruptive in recent memory—could end as early as ne...

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Partisan Auto-Replies and the Hatch Act federal employment government shutdown hatch act political activity workplace ethics Oct 03, 2025

On day one of the recent government shutdown, employees at the Department of Education set standard out-of-office replies: neutral messages explaining that, due to a funding lapse, they’d respond once...

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Unions Challenge Shutdown RIFs: What Federal Employees Must Know federal employment government shutdown mspb appeals opm guidance rif Oct 02, 2025

Federal unions have filed a lawsuit against the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), challenging recent guidance that encouraged agencies to use the gove...

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RIFs Continue During Shutdown: What Federal Employees Must Know federal employment government shutdown mspb appeals opm guidance rif Sep 30, 2025

When a government shutdown looms, many federal employees assume all personnel actions grind to a halt. But as of September 29, 2025, OPM has clarified: Reduction in Force (RIF) activity is now conside...

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Gratitude as a Legal Anchor in Uncertain Federal Times eeo complaints federal employment government shutdown mindfulness at work mspb appeals Sep 26, 2025

If you are a federal employee right now, you don’t need a reminder that the landscape feels unstable. Shutdown deadlines, RIF whispers, and questions about pending cases can make even seasoned profess...

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How to Prepare for a Possible Government Shutdown federal employment financial preparedness furlough guidance government shutdown mindfulness at work Jul 30, 2025

As of now, Congress has failed to pass 10 of the 12 required spending bills, with current funding set to expire at midnight on September 30. For federal employees, that means it’s time—again—to brace ...

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Federal Employees: What Happens to Your Pay & Benefits in a Shutdown? employee rights federal employment federal pay government shutdown workplace mindfulness Mar 13, 2025

Government shutdowns are a stressful reality for federal employees, bringing uncertainty about pay, benefits, and financial stability. While the rules can change, here’s what you need to know about ho...

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Government Shutdown: What Federal Employees Need to Know federal employee protections federal employment furlough rights government shutdown mindfulness at work Mar 10, 2025

Another government shutdown is looming, and if you’re a federal employee, you might be feeling anxious about what this means for your job, paycheck, and future. Let’s take a deep breath and break this...

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THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEE BRIEFING

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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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