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Civil Rights for Civil Servants
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Bureau of Prisons Closures and RIF Notices: What Affected Employees Need to Know
The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced this week that it is closing six federal correctional facilities across five states. The agency says many affected employees can transfer to a...
Federal Science RIFs and Employee Rights
When a federal science agency loses experienced employees, the public often hears the issue framed as “savings.” But the deeper question is whether the country is losing the instit...
TSA Privatization Threatens Airport Security Jobs
The Trump administration’s proposal to dramatically expand the TSA Screening Partnership Program should get the attention of every federal employee—especially TSA officers. The pro...
OPM RIF Rules: What Federal Employees Should Do Now
Much of the current advice to federal employees about OPM’s proposed reduction-in-force changes begins and ends with one point: download your performance appraisals. That is import...
HHS RIF Legality: Hiring After Layoffs
A reduction in force (RIF) under federal law is supposed to eliminate positions—not simply replace the people who held them. That distinction matters. When an agency conducts a RIF...
HHS RIF Appeals: When Agency Statements Undermine Legality
Recent congressional testimony about the HHS workforce reductions raises a legally significant question: was this truly a reduction in force—or something else? Under 5 U.S.C. Chapt...
Can Federal Employees Undo a Buyout After Leaving?
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 ...
MSPB RIF Cases: What Federal Employees Should Expect
For federal employees challenging a Reduction in Force (RIF), the instinct is often to focus on the outcome—the job loss. But early MSPB litigation is rarely about that alone. Judg...
Treasury OFR Workforce Cuts Raise Financial Oversight Concerns
The Office of Financial Research was created after the 2008 financial crisis for a specific reason: to identify threats building inside the financial system before they become nati...
Army Civilian Reassignments and RIF Rights
The Army’s current “rebalancing process” places thousands of civilian employees in a difficult position: accept a reassignment—sometimes across the country—or face separation. With...
State Department’s New Performance Playbook
The State Department appears to be testing a model other agencies may soon copy. In July 2025, it carried out roughly 1,350 layoffs, including about 246 Foreign Service officers on...
OPM’s New Performance and RIF Rules: Why Feds Should Pay Attention
Federal employees often experience policy changes one rule at a time. But sometimes the legal significance becomes clear only when multiple proposals are viewed together. Three rec...
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