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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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SSA Data Breach Allegations and Whistleblower Risk
A recent report from The Washington Post describes a whistleblower complaint that should capture the attention of both federal employees and the public. According to the complaint ...
DoD “Voluntary” Border Details: What Civilian Employees Should Document
Defense civilian employees may recently have received a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth encouraging volunteers for temporary details to the Department of Homeland Security...
OPM Performance Appraisal Rule: Key Risks for Feds
On February 24, 2026, OPM published a proposed rule that could significantly reshape how federal employees are rated, rewarded, and disciplined. Comments are due by March 26, 2026....
Federal Whistleblower Protections: Speaking Up Without Losing Your Career
Few things unsettle career federal employees more than seeing someone punished for doing the right thing. The recent case involving an FBI official who questioned a senior leader’s...
Forced LWOP During Shutdown Work — Know Your Rights
Some federal employees are being told to keep working during the shutdown but record those hours as leave without pay (LWOP). That directive is not lawful. If you’re required to wo...
Inspector General Removals and Why Federal Employees Should Care
On October 15, the White House removed Parisa Salehi, the Senate-confirmed Inspector General (IG) at the Export-Import Bank—without giving Congress the 30-day notice and written ra...
Senate Report Flags DOGE Data Security Risks
A new Senate investigation alleges that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been operating outside federal law, exposing sensitive federal data to heightened risk. W...
CDC Vaccine Expert Resigns Over Politics in Science
The resignation of Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, one of the nation’s leading vaccine experts, is not just another D.C. headline. His departure signals something far more personal: federa...
CDC Leadership Crisis and Federal Governance Breakdown
The attempted removal of CDC Director Susan Monarez highlights a critical legal issue: under federal law, only the President—not agency heads or political appointees—can dismiss a ...
Who Runs the CDC: Science or Politics?
On August 27, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that Susan Monarez was “no longer director” of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Within hour...
Common Mistakes Whistleblowers Make — and How Attorneys Prevent Them
Federal employees who blow the whistle often step onto legal ground that feels both urgent and unstable. Many try to navigate the process alone, only to find themselves boxed in by...
FEMA Retaliation Concerns: What Federal Whistleblowers Need to Know
On August 26, 2025, more than a dozen FEMA employees were placed on paid administrative leave just hours after signing a public letter criticizing leadership decisions. The letter,...
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