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

New OPM Telework Guidance Strengthens Religious and Medical Accommodation Rights

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For federal employees navigating the return-to-office push, a quiet but powerful shift just occurred. Thanks to new guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and a piv...

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Why Some Agencies Are Pausing RIFs—and What It Means for You

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Some agencies that once charged ahead with mass reductions in force (RIFs) are now quietly tapping the brakes. Officially, they’re citing early retirements and voluntary departures...

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D.C. Circuit Ruling Threatens Union Rights for Federal Workers

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On July 16, 2025, the D.C. Circuit Court allowed President Trump’s executive order to take effect, redefining more than 30 federal agencies as “national-security” operations. While...

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What Federal Employees Need to Know About the Latest HHS RIF

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If you’re among the many federal employees stunned by a Reduction in Force (RIF) email, you’re not alone—and you’re not powerless. In the wake of HHS issuing revised RIF notices ti...

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Agencies Reassess RIFs Amid Voluntary Exits and Legal Pressure

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If you’re a federal employee watching the Reduction in Force (RIF) situation unfold, you’re likely feeling the emotional whiplash. Just this week, the White House admitted to track...

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What the McMahon v. New York Ruling Means for Federal Layoffs

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Federal employees, especially those affected by recent RIFs at the Department of Education, are right to feel unsettled. In McMahon v. New York, the Supreme Court issued a brief, u...

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DOJ Blocks Release of RIF Plans in California Federal Layoff Case

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A new filing in the California RIF lawsuit reveals the Biden administration’s decision to keep federal layoff plans—formally called Agency RIF & Reorganization Plans (ARRPs)—under ...

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Supreme Court RIF Ruling Threatens Department of Education’s Future

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In an extraordinary and troubling move, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has allowed the Department of Education to sideline 1,378 employees—more than half its workforce—w...

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What the State Department, Education, and HHS RIFs Mean for Federal Employees

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The July 11 layoff notices at the U.S. State Department sent shockwaves through the federal workforce. More than 1,350 employees—civil service and Foreign Service alike—were told t...

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HHS RIF Notice Failures: RIF Notice Comes After You’re Locked Out

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For many Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees, July 14 wasn’t just another Monday—it was the moment they found out they’d already been separated. At 5:00 PM, ema...

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HHS RIF Notices May Violate Federal Regulations

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Federal Reduction in Force (RIF) procedures are governed by strict timelines and procedural safeguards. So when employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began...

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SC Ruling Allows Federal Layoffs at Education Department to Proceed

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A new Supreme Court order has intensified the uncertainty for federal employees affected by Reduction in Force (RIF) actions—and it’s part of a growing trend. In McMahon v. New Yor...

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Shaun Southworth & Lydia Taylor

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

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