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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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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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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Podcast
Hear Shaun Southworth and Lydia Taylor explain federal employee rights, public service, workplace systems, and the people navigating them.
Listen to the podcastMindfulness
Use practical mindfulness tools to create space between workplace pressure and the decision you make next.
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Meet the federal employment attorneys behind this public-education work and the podcast Civil Rights for Civil Servants.
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