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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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Shutdown Timecard Risks for Federal Employees
Every federal employee knows the tension of a shutdown week: unclear guidance, shifting emails, and pressure to “keep things running.” But when that confusion spills into time-and-...
Judge Orders Musk Deposition Over USAID Shutdown
A federal judge has ordered Elon Musk to sit for a sworn deposition about DOGE’s role in the USAID shutdown—and used language rarely seen in this context. The court found “extraord...
Schedule Policy/Career: Which Federal Jobs Are at Risk
The Office of Personnel Management has finalized a new rule creating Schedule Policy/Career, a classification aimed at “policy-influencing” positions. The government’s own estimate...
DHS Shutdown Deadline: What Federal Employees Should Expect
As of Monday, February 9, 2026, the federal government is technically open—but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is once again on the edge. Congress ended a four-day partia...
Is Title VII Really “Colorblind”? What the Law Requires
Federal employees are hearing a new phrase surface in official discourse: that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is “colorblind.” At first glance, that idea may sound reassuring—fa...
OPM’s Schedule Policy/Career Explained
Yesterday, the Office of Personnel Management finalized a rule creating a new category called Schedule Policy/Career. While the name may sound technical—or even benign—the substanc...
OPM’s Push for Forced Performance Ratings Explained
Federal employees are getting an early warning about a major shift in how performance may be evaluated in the FY 2026 appraisal cycle. According to statements from OPM Director Sco...
Schedule Policy/Career: How Civil Service Protections Could Change
Federal employees are waking up to a significant shift in the civil service landscape. Reporting indicates that OPM is expected to finalize a rule creating a new classification—oft...
Black History Month: Practicing Racial Justice at Work
Black History Month is often framed as a time for reflection, celebration, and learning. For federal employees, it can also be a moment to think more deeply about how racial justic...
During a Shutdown, Get Your Work Status in Writing
When a shutdown or funding lapse looms, many federal employees report the same unsettling pattern: offices acting as if it’s “business as usual,” while managers avoid putting anyth...
Shutdown Update: DHS is the Pressure Point
Many federal employees woke up this morning hoping for closure. The partial shutdown is only a few days old, and there is a real chance it ends later today. If that happens, some f...
GAO Telework Report: What SSA Employees Need to Know
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on federal telework is already circulating inside the Social Security Administration (SSA), and it deserves close attention from...
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