Federal employees are facing unprecedented challenges right now and have more questions than ever before about their rights. . Fortunately, there are multiple resources, some that have been in existence for a long time, some brand new, that can help you make sense of all this. This page identifies a few sources you can use to understand what is happening, what you can do, and what protections you may have.
- Civil Service Strong: Resources for Civil Servants [https://www.civilservicestrong.org/]
Put together by a coalition of federal employee unions and advocacy groups, this website acts as a clearinghouse, constantly updated to address issues as they arise. These are a few of the resources they’ve put up:
- A list of rights
- Descriptions of the federal discrimination complaint process and Merit Systems appeal process:
- An explanation of the “OPM Fork in the Road” memo offering the so-called “buyout” (which it isn’t, by the way): OPM Fork in the Road: Advice for federal employees | Civil Service Strong
- A Q&A about federal employee rights and job security, addressing such issues as what to do if you think you’re being targeted for political reasons; what rights you have to challenge your termination if you’re a probationary employee; understanding due process protections for regular GS employees; what to do if you’re a so-called “DEI” employee; and so on: Navigating Uncertain Times: Protecting Civil Servants’ Rights
- A webinar hosted by a former Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”) executive and others answering questions about federal employee rights: Democracy Forward Town Hall Navigating Challenges for Civil Servants
- Democracy 2025 | The united legal frontline in the fight for our democracy
This group has a broader scope and is tracking all of the administration’s most recent efforts to undermine democracy, including its attacks on the federal workforce. Its useful Democracy 2025 Response Center tracks each attack, explains what it is and what its impact might be, and the efforts being taken to challenge it.
UNIONS- YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE!
If you have a union representing your workplace, find out what your union is doing about attacks on its members and PAY YOUR DUES (dues are no longer automatically deducted). Many federal unions are leading the struggle to protect employee rights in the current period and with your help, they may protect yours.
Here are some links to a few of the unions representing federal employees:
American Federation of Government Employees: https://www.afge.org/
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees: https://www.afscme.org/
American Postal Workers Union: https://apwu.org/
National Association of Government Employees: https://www.nage.org/
National Association of Letter Carriers: https://www.nalc.org/
National Federation of Federal Employees: https://nffe.org/
National Treasury Employees Union: https://www.nteu.org/
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
When your rights are violated, the deadlines for acting under the laws can be very short. If you live or work in Massachusetts, we can help you determine whether your employer’s actions are unlawful, and assist you in moving forward with legal action. If you live or work outside of Massachusetts, please consult the National Employee Lawyers Association “Find-A-Lawyer” service, or we may be able to refer you to someone in your state or region who specializes in representing federal employees.