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.

 
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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Leaked Memo Reveals Push to Use Shutdown for Federal Layoffs civil service protections federal employment merit system integrity mspb appeals shutdown rif Oct 28, 2025

A newly leaked document confirms what many suspected: some in Washington saw the recent shutdown not just as a funding lapse, but as an opportunity to reshape the federal workforce. According to Polit...

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FDA Payroll Glitch: What Federal Employees Should Know fda employees federal employment mindfulness at work payroll error shutdown 2025 Oct 28, 2025

Roughly 7,000 FDA employees recently saw their paychecks vanish or shrink after an internal timekeeping error coded them as furloughed—even though they’re exempt. In federal terms, “exempt” means your...

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Shutdown RIFs and the Human Cost of Uncertainty employee rights federal employment mindfulness at work mspb appeals shutdown rif Oct 27, 2025

The latest shutdown-related Reduction in Force (RIF) filings put names, faces, and fears on record—reminders that behind every “cost-saving measure” are human beings who have served their country for ...

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Intentional Calm: Two Daily Habits to Steady Federal Workdays federal employment furlough stress mindfulness at work resilience workplace wellbeing Oct 27, 2025

For federal employees facing furloughs or ongoing instability, the sense of control can vanish overnight. One powerful way to regain balance is through intention—using deliberate, daily practices that...

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Can the President Order Military Strikes on Drug Boats? federal employment law of armed conflict military orders mindfulness at work whistleblower protections Oct 24, 2025

Since early September, reports have surfaced of U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. The White House has justified the actions by claiming the ...

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