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

Return-to-Office Orders Are (Mostly) Legal — But Disability Accommodations Are a Different Story

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A recent Federal News Network survey found that most federal employees say returning to the office has made them less productive — but for most workers, a return-to-office (RTO) or...

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The VA Rescinded Disabled Veterans' Telework — Then Called the Backlash "Absurd"

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The Department of Veterans Affairs is rescinding telework accommodations for disabled veterans on its own payroll — and telling at least one employee that his 150-mile daily commut...

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CDC Telework Accommodations and Disability Rights

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For many federal employees with disabilities, telework is not a preference. It is the difference between being able to perform the essential functions of a job and being pushed out...

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Telework Accommodation and Medical Records

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If your agency is asking for your “full medical file” to approve telework, pause. Under the Rehabilitation Act (which applies ADA standards to federal employees), agencies are enti...

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Telework Denied for “Teamwork”? Know the Law

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If a telework accommodation was denied with phrases like “teamwork,” “collaboration,” or “we need you here face-to-face,” pause before accepting that answer as final. Those words m...

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Telework and “Undue Hardship” Under the Rehab Act

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When a supervisor says, “Telework is an undue hardship,” it can sound final. It is not. Under the Rehabilitation Act—applying ADA standards—the agency must provide a reasonable acc...

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How to Request a Telework Accommodation (No Magic Words Required)

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One of the most damaging myths in federal workplaces right now is this: that you must use specific legal language to request a telework accommodation. You do not.

You do not have ...

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AWOL Threats and Telework Accommodation Rights

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If you’re being told, “Report in-person or you’ll be marked AWOL,” pause—but do not panic.

AWOL (Absent Without Leave) is often the pivot point where a disability accommodation di...

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Telework Accommodations Still Apply Under RTO Memos

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Federal employees are being told a familiar story: “Leadership says return-to-office, so telework accommodations are over.” That framing is legally risky—and often a sign the agenc...

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Federal Telework Accommodation Rights Explained

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Federal employees across agencies are reporting the same pattern: telework is being reduced or rescinded, even when it was requested as a disability accommodation. The confusion of...

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Telework Accommodation Rights for Federal Employees

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Federal employees are increasingly hearing a troubling message: “Telework accommodations are basically over.” That statement may reflect agency frustration or shifting workplace cu...

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Telework as a Disability Accommodation: What Feds Must Know

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The EEOC and OPM recently issued new “guidance” on telework as a disability accommodation. On its face, it appears technical. In practice, it is likely to shape how supervisors res...

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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.

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Civil Rights for Civil Servants

Hear Shaun Southworth and Lydia Taylor explain federal employee rights, public service, workplace systems, and the people navigating them.

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About 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.

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