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.

 
HHS Suspends Severance Payments During Shutdown antideficiency act federal employment government shutdown hhs severance pay Nov 06, 2025

A new internal HHS alert titled “Severance Payment Suspension During Appropriations Lapse” confirms that the agency has suspended all severance payments to former employees while the government remain...

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Shutdown Politics Shift After Democratic Wins congress federal employment federal pay government shutdown mindfulness at work Nov 05, 2025

Democrats’ sweep in several governor’s and legislative races this week did more than shift state maps—it changed the math in Washington. President Trump himself summed up the new reality in a post on ...

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Supreme Court Case Tests Presidential Power in Learning Resources v. Trump executive authority federal employment ieepa separation of powers supreme court Nov 05, 2025

The Supreme Court heard arguments this week in Learning Resources v. Trump—a case that could reshape how far presidential authority extends in national emergencies. While it centers on tariffs, the un...

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Federal Employees and Voting Leave: What Today’s Rules Really Say election 2025 federal employment mindfulness at work opm guidance voting leave Nov 04, 2025

For many federal employees, Election Day raises an unexpected question: can you take paid administrative leave to vote? The answer, unfortunately, depends on where you work. Some agencies are granting...

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Mindfulness and Survival: Coping with the Federal Shutdown burnout prevention employee rights federal employment federal shutdown mindfulness at work Nov 04, 2025

We are now more than a month into the government shutdown. Across the country, federal employees continue holding the nation together even as paychecks stop and fatigue deepens. At airports, lines str...

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Forced LWOP During Shutdown Work — Know Your Rights federal employment government shutdown lwop pay rights whistleblower protection Oct 30, 2025

Some federal employees are being told to keep working during the shutdown but record those hours as leave without pay (LWOP). That directive is not lawful. If you’re required to work, you are “excepte...

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Understanding Federal Disability Retirement disability retirement federal employee rights federal employment legal guidance opm benefits Oct 30, 2025

When medical conditions make it impossible to meet the core duties of your federal job—even with reasonable accommodation—disability retirement may offer a stable path forward. This benefit provides a...

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Understanding Chapter 43 vs. Chapter 75: What Federal Employees Must Know chapter 43 chapter 75 dod employees federal discipline federal employment mspb appeals Oct 30, 2025

A growing number of agencies, especially the Department of Defense, are fast-tracking removals by handling “performance” issues under Chapter 75 instead of Chapter 43. Both chapters have always existe...

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DoD Fast-Track Removals: What the “Department of War” Memo Means for You chapter 75 civil service protections dod removals federal employment mspb appeals Oct 29, 2025

A newly leaked “Department of War” memo is changing how the Department of Defense handles removals for “unacceptable performance.” It directs supervisors and HR to act with “speed and conviction,” cut...

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Federal Judge Halts Shutdown RIFs Nationwide administrative law federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals shutdown rifs Oct 29, 2025

Good news for federal employees: a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction halting all shutdown-related Reduction in Force (RIF) actions. This means agencies cannot issue or finalize RIFs th...

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CDC Workforce Purge: Reform or Retaliation? cdc reorganization federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals whistleblower protections Oct 28, 2025

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lost roughly a third of its workforce in just eight months. According to recent reporting, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dismisse...

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VA Pride Lanyard Ban: Why It Likely Violates Federal Law federal employment lgbtq rights title vii va employees workplace discrimination Oct 28, 2025

If a VA hospital bans rainbow lanyards or warns employees they can be fired for wearing Pride colors, that’s not just poor optics—it’s likely unlawful. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which a...

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