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

When Union Retaliation Crosses the Legal Line

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A recent federal court order requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore its union contract did not happen in a vacuum. The decision turned on unusually clear evidence ...

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DHS Shutdown and TSA Pay: Your Back Pay Rights and Key Deadlines

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During the ongoing partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown, tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are continuing to report to work wit...

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Courts Force Disclosure of Federal RIF Plans

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For many federal employees, last year’s wave of reductions in force (RIFs) and reorganizations felt abrupt and opaque. Decisions appeared to come from nowhere, with little explanat...

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How Federal Employees Can Track Critical Workplace Updates

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Federal employees often rely on social media for timely updates about workplace rules, discipline risks, and changes that affect job security. But platforms are unpredictable. Impo...

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TSA Union Contracts and the Risk of Agency Whiplash

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Federal employees expect their workplace rights to operate like guardrails—not like a light switch that flips on and off depending on who is in charge. Yet Transportation Security ...

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Judge Halts State Department RIFs: What Federal Employees Need to Know

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Hundreds of State Department employees woke up on December 5 believing it was their final day in federal service. Overnight, that story changed. A federal judge issued an emergency...

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Federal Employees: What Happens to Your Pay & Benefits in a Shutdown?

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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 n...

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OPM’s “Five Things” Directive: What Should Federal Employees Do?

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If you've been keeping up with the latest federal workplace developments, you may have noticed a wave of uncertainty surrounding OPM’s new directive: the so-called “Five Things” em...

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OSC Seeks Reinstatement of 5,000 Federal Probationary Employees—What You Need to Know

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If you’re a federal employee in your probationary period—or if you’ve recently been terminated—you’re likely facing uncertainty and frustration. The Office of Personnel Management ...

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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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Trump’s Executive Order & Federal Agencies: What It Means for Federal Employees

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A major shake-up is happening in Washington, and it directly impacts federal employees working in regulatory agencies. President Trump has signed an executive order that seeks to b...

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Federal Job Cuts: When Efficiency Becomes a National Security Risk

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Imagine waking up to find that the people responsible for ensuring the safety and security of our nation's nuclear weapons have been fired—without leadership even realizing their c...

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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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