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

Supreme Court Case Threatens MSPB Protections

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A Supreme Court case now developing—Harris v. Bessent—may directly affect how federal employees challenge discipline, removals, and other adverse actions. At its core, the dispute ...

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DOJ Indictment of SPLC: Informants and Legal Risks

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Federal employees are trained to recognize patterns—and this one is difficult to ignore. The Department of Justice recently announced an indictment against the Southern Poverty Law...

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Unlawful Removal and Quo Warranto in Federal Agencies

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A recent case involving a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member highlights a core principle federal employees often rely on but rarely see tested so directly: statutor...

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DoD Union Contracts Terminated: What It Means

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On April 9, the Department of Defense directed the termination of most collective bargaining agreements for its civilian workforce—with just 24 hours’ notice. The stated justificat...

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DOGE Data Access Case Raises Privacy Act Risks

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A recent federal court ruling in Maryland has moved a high-stakes data privacy case into discovery—a phase that often determines what truly happened behind closed doors. For federa...

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IRS Workforce Cuts and “Better Results” Claims

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Recent testimony to the Senate claimed the IRS delivered its “most successful filing season in history” despite a 27% reduction in staff. For federal employees, that statement dese...

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Religious Harassment in Federal Workplaces

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Religious expression has long existed in federal workplaces, but recent reports suggest a shift in tone and source. When religious messaging originates from agency leadership—Secre...

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FEMA Workforce Cuts and Federal RIF Risks

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Recent sworn testimony from FEMA leadership raises a critical issue for federal employees: what happens when an agency sets workforce reduction targets before determining operation...

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State Department RIF Limbo: Legal Risks for Feds

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A reduction in force (RIF) is supposed to be a defined process with a clear endpoint: notice, separation date, and either termination or rescission. What is unfolding at the State ...

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FBI Budget Proposal and Extremism Definitions Explained

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A recent budget proposal seeks $166 million to expand FBI counterterrorism efforts, including a multi-agency initiative to “proactively identify” domestic extremism. The language m...

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OPM Health Data Collection: Oversight or Overreach?

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Federal employees are right to pause when they hear that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is requesting large-scale health data from FEHB carriers. On paper, OPM has clear ...

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Medical Privacy Rights for Federal Employees

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Federal employees often assume that HIPAA protects their medical information at work. That assumption is understandable—but incorrect. HIPAA governs healthcare providers and insure...

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