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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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Grand Jury Pushback: The “Ham Sandwich” Case That Didn’t Stick
Federal employees often hear the phrase, “a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich.” That saying captures a sobering truth: federal grand juries almost always side with prosecutors. ...
Ninth Circuit May Halt Union Contract Cancellations
In recent weeks, some federal agencies have moved aggressively to cancel collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). For employees, this has felt like the ground shifting under their ...
Box Breathing: A Simple Practice Every Federal Employee Should Know
If you’re a federal employee, you don’t need me to tell you that the stress is real. For more than 10,000 hours of my career, I’ve sat across from federal employees who are dedicat...
Who Runs the CDC: Science or Politics?
On August 27, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that Susan Monarez was “no longer director” of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Within hour...
Common Mistakes Whistleblowers Make — and How Attorneys Prevent Them
Federal employees who blow the whistle often step onto legal ground that feels both urgent and unstable. Many try to navigate the process alone, only to find themselves boxed in by...
FEMA Retaliation Concerns: What Federal Whistleblowers Need to Know
On August 26, 2025, more than a dozen FEMA employees were placed on paid administrative leave just hours after signing a public letter criticizing leadership decisions. The letter,...
Whistleblower Rights After Disclosure with National Consequences
When Charles Borges, the Chief Data Officer at the Social Security Administration, reported that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) copied the entire Social Security da...
Silencing Black Women in Power: A Federal Reserve Trailblazer Forced Out
The recent removal of Dr. Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, is more than a personnel decision—it is a warning. Dr. Cook is not a novice. She i...
The Banner vs. Reality: Workers First or Workers Forgotten?
When a towering banner with the words “AMERICAN WORKERS FIRST” was draped across the Department of Labor, the image was meant to project strength and reassurance. But for federal e...
New Executive Order Expands Federal Public-Order Units
A new executive order is reshaping how federal public safety is managed in Washington, D.C.—and potentially beyond. It creates an inter-agency public-order unit, requires the Park ...
FEMA’s Erosion and What It Means for Disaster Response
On August 25, 2025, more than 180 current and former FEMA employees sounded an alarm that should concern every federal worker. Their public letter describes an agency hollowed out ...
Can the President Deploy Federal Agents Without Consent?
Recent headlines have raised the question: can the President send federal agents—or even the National Guard—into cities that never asked for them? The answer depends heavily on geo...
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