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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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Federal Employee Open Season 2026: What to Do During the Shutdown
Federal employees, here’s the bottom line: Open Season runs November 10 through December 8, and it continues regardless of the shutdown. Your coverage, elections, and deadlines all...
Senate Shutdown Deal: What It Means for Federal Employees
After forty grueling days of uncertainty, the Senate has advanced a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government. The measure would fully fund VA, USDA, and the legislative branch...
Shutdown RIFs: What the Court’s Order Means for Federal Employees
Roughly 4,000 layoff notices went out earlier in the government shutdown, but a recent federal court order has frozen most of them. The injunction—issued by a judge in San Francisc...
HHS Suspends Severance Payments During Shutdown
A new internal HHS alert titled “Severance Payment Suspension During Appropriations Lapse” confirms that the agency has suspended all severance payments to former employees while t...
Are Federal Employees Guaranteed Back Pay After the Shutdown?
Federal employees are asking the right question: “Are we really getting back pay this time?” The short answer is yes. Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFT...
Shutdown Politics Shift After Democratic Wins
Democrats’ sweep in several governor’s and legislative races this week did more than shift state maps—it changed the math in Washington. President Trump himself summed up the new r...
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...
Supporting Federal Employees Through the Shutdown: A Resource Guide from Southworth PC
At Southworth PC, our mission is clear: protect the rights and careers of federal employees. As the government funding lapse continues—affecting paychecks, benefits, mission-critic...
Federal Judge Halts Shutdown-Based RIFs Nationwide
In a sweeping move late Thursday, Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) stopping the administration from carrying ou...
Shutdown Roundup: Pay, RIFs, and What Feds Must Do
Federal employees, here’s your no-spin roundup from Friday through Monday—and the steps to protect your pay, benefits, and rights amid this shutdown.
What Changed Friday–Monday
F...
Federal Shutdown Back Pay: What the Law Really Says
This week has been a rollercoaster for federal employees. On Wednesday, the IRS assured furloughed staff they were guaranteed back pay once the shutdown ends. By Thursday, that mes...
Senate Floated Piecemeal Reopening: Here's What It Means
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 ...
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