Podcast
Civil Rights for Civil Servants
Hear Shaun Southworth and Lydia Taylor explain federal employee rights, public service, workplace systems, and the people navigating them.
Listen to the podcastNews, rights, tools & learning
Federal Employee Resource Center
Search timely updates, plain-English explainers, practical guides, podcasts, and mindful-action resources. Start with the question you are trying to answer.
Probation Just Became Sudden Death: How Mindful Federal Employees Can Protect Their Careers
Recent changes out of Washington have dramatically shifted the probationary landscape for federal employees. If your probationary period ends after July 23, 2025, the burden is now...
Protect Your Federal Job from Schedule F Reclassifications
Recent developments at the Social Security Administration (SSA) should give every federal employee pause. Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Ick has reportedly ordered the reclassifica...
Federal Job Shake-Up: What CFPB Cuts Mean for You
News of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) abruptly laying off over 1,500 public service employees has sent a shockwave through the federal workforce. These aren't jus...
When a RIF Notice Arrives: How to Face Uncertainty with Clarity
If you've recently received a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice, it's completely normal to feel overwhelmed. The fear of job instability, abrupt change, and unanswered questions can ...
What HHS Employees Need to Know About the April 1st RIF Notices
If you're a federal employee at HHS and received a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice dated April 1st—yes, April Fool’s Day—you’re not alone. But don’t let the timing distract you fro...
Can Federal Agencies Monitor You With AI?
You may have seen the headlines: claims that tech giants are using artificial intelligence tools—like Elon Musk’s Grok AI—to monitor federal employees’ communications. While this m...
Tax Season at the IRS: When “Efficiency” Costs Us All
Tax season is stressful enough for everyone. But imagine being the person behind the scenes—an IRS employee—trying to do your job amid forced return-to-office policies, internet ou...
“Hands Off”: Hold Strong Amid the Crisis in the Federal Workforce
If you're a federal employee, you may be feeling a mix of burnout, uncertainty, and quiet determination. You're not alone—and you're not imagining the pressure. Whether it's loomin...
The Promise—and Pitfalls—of Class Actions
If you’re a federal employee counting on a class action lawsuit to shield you during a Reduction in Force (RIF) or agency restructuring, you might be setting yourself up for disapp...
Navigating IRS Layoffs with Clarity and Calm
This week’s unexpected announcement from the IRS—cutting up to 25% of its workforce—is sending shockwaves through the federal community. Entire departments, like the Civil Rights O...
Is the “Fork in the Road” Back? What Federal Employees Need to Know
If you've sensed a familiar chill in the air around your agency, you're not alone. Reports are surfacing that federal agencies are once again circulating what many of us remember a...
When You Receive a RIF Notice: Stay Grounded and Strategic
If you’re a federal employee who’s just received a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice, you may be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or even blindsided. Please know this: you are not alone...
More ways to learn
Choose the format that helps you understand what is happening.
The Mindful Federal Employee is part of a broader public-education ecosystem from Shaun Southworth, Lydia Taylor, and Southworth PC. Use the resource that fits the question and the moment.
Mindfulness
Work Peacefully
Use practical mindfulness tools to create space between workplace pressure and the decision you make next.
Explore mindfulness resourcesAbout the people behind the work
Shaun Southworth & Lydia Taylor
Meet the federal employment attorneys behind this public-education work and the podcast Civil Rights for Civil Servants.
Meet Shaun & LydiaThe Federal Employee Briefing
The important developments, without the all-day scroll.
Join 3,900+ federal employees getting sourced workforce news and practical next steps on weekdays. It is a free public-service resource from Southworth PC.