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.

 
CFPB Mass Firings Blocked Again: What the New Court Ruling Means cfpb executive power federal employment mspb appeals reduction in force Dec 19, 2025

Federal employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have endured a year of professional whiplash. One moment, mission-driven work continued as usual. The next, rumors of sweeping reductions ...

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Shutdown RIFs Frozen Until 2026: What the Injunction Means federal employee protections federal employment mspb appeals reduction in force shutdown rights Dec 18, 2025

For federal employees caught in the uncertainty of shutdown-related reductions in force (RIFs), a recent court order delivered rare clarity—and immediate relief. On December 18, Judge Susan Illston is...

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What NCAR’s Targeting Signals for Federal Scientists civil service protections federal employment federal scientists mindfulness at work rif and restructuring Dec 18, 2025

Federal employees are used to policy shifts. What is unfolding around the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is something different—and more personal for anyone working in science, resear...

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Why Merit Systems—and Giving Back—Still Matter federal employment merit system mindfulness at work public service workplace fairness Dec 18, 2025

For many federal employees, the idea of a “merit system” can feel abstract—something discussed in regulations or performance plans. But for those who grew up without safety nets, merit is not a theory...

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When Leadership Wants You Gone: NIH Lawsuit Raises Red Flags civil service protections federal employment mspb appeals nih whistleblower retaliation Dec 17, 2025

A newly filed federal lawsuit out of Maryland involving a senior NIH leader is sending a chill through the federal workforce—not because of who is involved, but because of what the allegations suggest...

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Are Forced Performance Rating Quotas Legal for Federal Employees? federal employment mindfulness at work opm regulations performance ratings prohibited personnel practices Dec 17, 2025

Federal employees across agencies are hearing a troubling message at the end of the appraisal year: even strong performance won’t matter because only a small percentage of people can receive top ratin...

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CDC Telework Accommodations and Medical Privacy Risks federal employment medical privacy reasonable accommodation rehabilitation act telework policy Dec 17, 2025

Federal employees expect reasonable accommodation requests to be handled carefully, confidentially, and by trained professionals. Recent reports out of HHS—and specifically the CDC—suggest a process t...

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Federal Overtime After Lesko: Why Written Approval Matters federal circuit federal employment mindfulness at work overtime pay title 5 Dec 16, 2025

Federal employees are often told, “Just stay late—we’ll sort out the overtime later.” For years, many assumed that if management knew about the work and benefited from it, pay would follow. A recent e...

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When Agencies Cap “5s”: The Hidden Risks of Forced Performance Ratings federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals performance ratings workplace fairness Dec 16, 2025

For many federal employees, a performance year ends with a quiet shock: strong feedback all year, solid results, and then a rating capped at a “3” because the office “can’t give too many 5s.” That fee...

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Feed the DMV: Let's Show Up for Our Community community support dmv federal employees federal employment food insecurity mindfulness at work Dec 15, 2025

Federal employees are no strangers to uncertainty. Shutdown threats, benefit cuts, inflation, and recent federal job losses have pushed many households across the DMV to the edge. Against that backdro...

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TSA Union Contracts and the Risk of Agency Whiplash collective bargaining federal employment federal unions tsa labor rights workplace mindfulness Dec 15, 2025

Federal employees expect their workplace rights to operate like guardrails—not like a light switch that flips on and off depending on who is in charge. Yet Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are ...

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VA Cuts “Vacant” Jobs: Why Staff Feel the Impact Anyway federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals va employees workforce reductions Dec 15, 2025

For many VA employees, being told “it’s not layoffs, it’s just vacancies” does not feel reassuring. When teams are already stretched thin, vacant positions represent hope: reinforcements, backfill, an...

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