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

OMB Memo Links Shutdowns to RIF Threats

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Shutdowns are never easy for federal employees. Normally, the drill is painful but familiar: furloughs stop your paycheck, then Congress eventually funds the government, and you re...

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GSA Rescinds PBS RIF Notices: What Returning Employees Need to Know

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The General Services Administration (GSA) has just made a surprising move: rescinding RIF notices for hundreds of employees in the Public Buildings Service (PBS). Many of you now f...

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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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What Happens After a Federal RIF Notice

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If you’ve received a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice or fear one is coming, understanding what triggers a fresh 60-day notice—and what doesn’t—can protect your job, retirement time...

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Footnote 10: What SCOTUS’s Injunction Ruling Means for Federal RIFs

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Today, while training to better serve federal employees, I received powerful news: our team secured a unanimous six-figure jury verdict for a client in federal court. From starting...

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Federal Job Cuts: What They Don’t Say Out Loud

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If you’re a federal employee of color, especially in HR, administrative, or clerical roles, recent agency job cuts aren’t just business—they’re deeply personal. A New York Times ar...

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RIFs May Hit Federal Agencies if Supreme Court Lifts Block

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Over the weekend, news broke that federal agencies may be poised to issue Reduction in Force (RIF) notices as soon as this week—if the Supreme Court lifts a current legal block. Th...

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Watchdog Firings and the Real Cost of “Savings” at Your Agency

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When federal employees hear about massive government savings—like the $170 billion touted by DOGE —it sounds promising. But if you’re a career fed, especially GS-9 and above, here’...

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Federal Judge Halts HHS Layoffs Amid Constitutional Concerns

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On Friday, May 9, a senior U.S. District Judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) that blocked sweeping layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the...

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What to Do If You Receive a RIF Notice at Interior

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Thousands of federal employees at the Department of the Interior—including the National Park Service, USGS, and BLM—are facing sudden uncertainty as the agency prepares to issue Re...

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What HHS Employees Need to Know About the April 1st RIF Notices

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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...

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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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