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

Judge Ruled OPM’s Mass Probationary Firings Were Not Lawful

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Earlier this year, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agencies to list every probationary employee, update that list daily, and fire nearly everyone not labeled “mis...

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You Are More Than Your Federal Job

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For many federal employees, service to the government isn’t just a career—it’s an identity. The badge, the clearance, the GS level—these markers can begin to feel like the full mea...

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Federal Shutdown Looms: What Federal Employees Need to Know

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As September 30 approaches, the possibility of a government shutdown is once again hanging over the federal workforce. Congress is locked in a standoff: Republican leaders are push...

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Probationary Federal Employees Challenge OSC in Court

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Five former federal employees filed suit yesterday against the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), alleging the agency abandoned its duty to protect them from prohibited personne...

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VA Unions Press to Restore Bargaining Rights Amid Staffing Crisis

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On September 5, leaders from seven major unions—including AFGE’s National VA Council—sent a joint letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins. Their request was urgent: use authority under...

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From Defense to War: What the Pentagon’s Rebrand Means

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On September 5, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to present itself publicly as the “Department of War.” The Pentagon’s new website, war.gov, is alre...

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Forest Service Buyouts: Where is the Money Coming From?

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The U.S. Forest Service recently launched a “deferred resignation program” that has drawn scrutiny from Congress and concern from employees across government. Roughly 5,000 employe...

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Guarding Against “Dream Job” Traps for Federal Pros

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Federal friends, let’s talk about the pitch that seems made for you: remote, six-figure policy work that mirrors your résumé. Lately we’re seeing flashy openings—sometimes linked t...

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Immigration Raid at Georgia EV Plant: Lessons for Federal Employees

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On September 4, federal agents conducted the largest single-site immigration raid in Homeland Security Investigations’ history at the Hyundai–LG battery plant construction site in ...

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Unsafe Federal Office Conditions: What You Can Do

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As more agencies push employees back into the office full-time, many federal workers are finding that their buildings aren’t ready. Reports of mold, pests, broken elevators, and ev...

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Federal Employees: Preparing for a Possible Government Shutdown

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Congress has until October 1 to pass a short-term funding bill—known as a continuing resolution (CR)—to keep the government running. If passed, a CR typically extends funding into ...

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Federal Employee Shutdown Guide (2025): What To Do Now, What To Expect, and How To Protect Yourself

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From a federal employee attorney who represents feds every day.

A funding lapse (a “shutdown”) is stressful. It mixes legal rules, agency procedures, and real-life bills that don’...

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More ways to learn

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The Mindful Federal Employee is part of a broader public-education ecosystem from Shaun Southworth, Lydia Taylor, and Southworth PC. Use the resource that fits the question and the moment.

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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Mindfulness

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About the people behind the work

Shaun Southworth & Lydia Taylor

Meet the federal employment attorneys behind this public-education work and the podcast Civil Rights for Civil Servants.

Meet Shaun & Lydia

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