The Federal Employee Survival Blog

Cut through the jargon and get the clarity you need to stay a step ahead of agency politics. Each article unpacks new policy shifts, court rulings, and workplace trends, then turns them into actionable tactics—so you can head off discipline, invoke EEO or whistleblower protections with confidence, and keep your documentation airtight. We also archive our most popular social-media explainer threads here, giving you the same insights followed by more than 150,000 people online even if you never scroll on those sites. Read, prepare, and keep your federal career firmly in your control.

 
Judge Bars DOJ From Searching Reporter Devices doj filter team federal employment first amendment rights privacy protection act whistleblower risks Feb 26, 2026

A federal judge in Virginia just took the unusual step of blocking the Department of Justice from reviewing a reporter’s seized electronic devices—and ordered that the court, not DOJ, will conduct the...

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OPM Performance Appraisal Rule: Key Risks for Feds collective bargaining federal employment mspb performance appraisals whistleblower protection Feb 26, 2026

On February 24, 2026, OPM published a proposed rule that could significantly reshape how federal employees are rated, rewarded, and disciplined. Comments are due by March 26, 2026. While this is not f...

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Managing Federal Workplace Anxiety Before Discipline federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals telework disputes workplace anxiety Feb 24, 2026

For many GS-9 and above federal employees, the body reacts to a calendar invite or HR/LR email before the mind has processed a single word. Chest tightens. Jaw clenches. Thoughts jump to worst-case sc...

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How to Request a Telework Accommodation (No Magic Words Required) federal employment interactive process reasonable accommodation rehabilitation act telework accommodation Feb 24, 2026

One of the most damaging myths in federal workplaces right now is this: that you must use specific legal language to request a telework accommodation. You do not.

You do not have to cite the Rehabili...

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DOGE’s $110B Savings Claim Under Scrutiny budget cuts federal employment government contracts mindfulness at work workplace discipline Feb 23, 2026

A year after DOGE’s cost-cutting push, many federal employees are asking a simple question: were the numbers real, or was the government handed a scoreboard that obscured mission damage? That question...

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DHS Partial Shutdown: What Feds Should Do Now anti-deficiency act dhs shutdown federal employment federal pay government shutdown Feb 23, 2026

As of February 23, 2026, most of the federal government is funded through the end of the fiscal year. The Department of Homeland Security is not. Congress passed full-year appropriations for other age...

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Supreme Court Tariffs Case and Federal Power Limits federal employment mspb separation of powers supreme court unitary executive Feb 23, 2026

Federal employees have been watching the Supreme Court closely this term. The recent tariffs decision is more than a trade-policy headline. It is a separation-of-powers case that could shape how the C...

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AWOL Threats and Telework Accommodation Rights awol eeo complaints federal employment rehabilitation act telework accommodation Feb 23, 2026

If you’re being told, “Report in-person or you’ll be marked AWOL,” pause—but do not panic.

AWOL (Absent Without Leave) is often the pivot point where a disability accommodation dispute quietly turns ...

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DoD Graduate School Limits and Military Readiness dod civilians federal employment military education tuition assistance workforce policy Feb 20, 2026

Reporting indicates that beginning in the 2026–2027 academic year, the Department of Defense may restrict certain professional military education, fellowships, and certificate programs at Harvard, wit...

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AFGE Wins HUD Telework Arbitration Case afge collective bargaining federal employment flra telework rights Feb 20, 2026

Federal employees received significant news this week: AFGE Council 222 secured a class-wide arbitration win requiring HUD to restore routine telework agreements that were rolled back during a broad r...

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Telework Accommodations Still Apply Under RTO Memos federal employment reasonable accommodation rehabilitation act return to office telework accommodation Feb 20, 2026

Federal employees are being told a familiar story: “Leadership says return-to-office, so telework accommodations are over.” That framing is legally risky—and often a sign the agency is skipping the st...

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DHS Administrative Subpoenas and Federal Employee Speech dhs subpoenas federal employment first amendment ice criticism workplace investigations Feb 19, 2026

Federal employees are watching new reports closely: the Department of Homeland Security has reportedly issued large numbers of administrative subpoenas to major tech companies seeking identifying info...

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