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

Are Furloughed Federal Employees Guaranteed Back Pay?

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For many federal employees, this shutdown feels different. Early this week, the administration floated a new legal argument claiming that furloughed workers might not be automatica...

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Shutdown RIF Threats Ease—for Now

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Federal employees, take a breath. As of today, the White House appears to be stepping back from immediate plans for large-scale Reductions in Force (RIFs). That’s not a promise the...

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Shutdown Update: What’s Really Happening — and When It Could End

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As October 2025 unfolds, the federal shutdown shows no signs of quick resolution. Beneath the headlines, this is less a funding glitch and more a contest of leverage. Congress has ...

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Government Shutdown Nears an End: What Federal Employees Should Watch

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After weeks of uncertainty, there’s a cautious sense of hope. The latest political signals suggest that the government shutdown—now one of the most disruptive in recent memory—coul...

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Partisan Auto-Replies and the Hatch Act

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On day one of the recent government shutdown, employees at the Department of Education set standard out-of-office replies: neutral messages explaining that, due to a funding lapse,...

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Unions Challenge Shutdown RIFs: What Federal Employees Must Know

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Federal unions have filed a lawsuit against the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), challenging recent guidance that encouraged agen...

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RIFs Continue During Shutdown: What Federal Employees Must Know

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When a government shutdown looms, many federal employees assume all personnel actions grind to a halt. But as of September 29, 2025, OPM has clarified: Reduction in Force (RIF) act...

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Gratitude as a Legal Anchor in Uncertain Federal Times

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If you are a federal employee right now, you don’t need a reminder that the landscape feels unstable. Shutdown deadlines, RIF whispers, and questions about pending cases can make e...

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How to Prepare for a Possible Government Shutdown

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As of now, Congress has failed to pass 10 of the 12 required spending bills, with current funding set to expire at midnight on September 30. For federal employees, that means it’s ...

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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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Government Shutdown: What Federal Employees Need to Know

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Another government shutdown is looming, and if you’re a federal employee, you might be feeling anxious about what this means for your job, paycheck, and future. Let’s take a deep b...

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Shaun Southworth & Lydia Taylor

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