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.

 
VA Union Purge: What the Directive Means for You federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals unfair labor practice va union rights Aug 07, 2025

On August 6, 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a sweeping order that voided every collective-bargaining agreement (CBA) covering its workforce—except for roughly 4,000 police, firef...

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VA’s Union Contract Termination and the Legal Crosshairs federal employment mspb appeals union rights va employees workplace retaliation Aug 07, 2025

In a sweeping move, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has unilaterally terminated every major collective bargaining agreement (CBA) covering 377,000 employees. This action walks directly into mu...

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VA Union Contracts Eliminated Overnight—Why It Matters Beyond the VA federal employment federal labor rights mspb appeals va union contracts whistleblower protections Aug 07, 2025

Late last night, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) canceled every major union contract covering more than 377,000 employees—nurses, doctors, benefits processors, and researchers—eliminating thei...

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How to Challenge a RIF at the MSPB Using the 3-Layer Error Hierarchy federal employee rights federal employment mspb appeals reduction in force self-representation Aug 05, 2025

If you're facing a Reduction in Force (RIF) and appealing to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)—especially on your own—there’s one legal insight that could change everything: the three-layer er...

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FBI Whistleblower Bill to Help Strengthen Protection for FBI Agents bipartisan legislation fbi reform federal employment mspb appeals whistleblower rights Aug 05, 2025

On July 29, 2025, a rare piece of bipartisan legislation dropped that deserves your attention—even if you’ve never set foot inside the Hoover Building. The FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act...

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Ninth Circuit Ruling Revives Trump-Era Union Limits collective bargaining federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals union rights Aug 04, 2025

A significant legal shift occurred last Friday. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily lifted a lower court’s injunction that had been protecting federal employees’ collective bargaining right...

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Avoid These Two MSPB Pitfalls if You’re Representing Yourself discovery process federal employment mspb appeals rif cases self-representation Aug 01, 2025

For federal employees navigating a Reduction in Force (RIF) or other adverse action, representing yourself at the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) can feel overwhelming. The stakes are high—retir...

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Deferred Resignations and the Hidden Toll on Federal Workers civil service reform deferred resignation federal employment merit systems mspb appeals Jul 31, 2025

A staggering 154,000 federal employees—nearly 7% of the civilian workforce—are being paid not to work. Known as deferred resignations, these arrangements remove employees from active duty, often under...

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How to Fight a RIF Without Paying $5,000 For an Attorney federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals reduction in force rif defense Jul 30, 2025

When a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice lands in your inbox, it can feel like the floor’s fallen out from under you. The panic, confusion, and urgency are real—especially when you learn the deadline to...

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When Leadership Fails: What Federal Employees Deserve civil service protections federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals toxic leadership Jul 29, 2025

A new survey shows what many of us already feel: 95% of federal employees are experiencing rising anxiety, depression, or insomnia in 2025. For those of you showing up to work despite chaos from above...

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How to File a RIF Appeal with the MSPB: Your Fast-Track Guide federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals pro se representation rif Jul 29, 2025

When a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice lands in your inbox, the panic can be paralyzing. Questions spiral: What’s my deadline? Do I have any rights? Should I hire a lawyer? And while some answers depe...

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When Nepotism Becomes a Career-Ending Mistake conflict of interest federal employment mspb appeals nepotism law whistleblower protection Jul 24, 2025

The recent ousting of NIH’s Chief Operating Officer, Eric Schnabel, is more than office gossip—it’s a legal and career cautionary tale for federal employees across agencies. Schnabel allegedly steered...

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