“Serving those who serve in government”
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), historically known for its role in maintaining public confidence in the nation's financial system, has recently faced scrutiny over allegations of a toxic workplace culture. A recently released comprehensive...
Holding a position in the federal government requires a certain level of trust. Civilians trust that federal employees are making the most of their tax dollars, and co-workers trust that their peers are doing their best to serve the government. Sometimes, that trust...
Each federal agency is required to have procedures in place to better ensure federal employees do not suffer from retaliation for reporting wrongful activity. Many agencies also have whistleblower protection programs in place. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is one...
A recent memo from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) got media attention recently when it appeared to violate federal whistleblower protections. The name of the memo is enough to give reason for concern: The Prohibited Disclosure of...
Protections are in place to help better ensure superiors judge the work of federal employees based on performance. Schedule F, created by President Trump, put these protections at risk. As discussed in previous posts, this executive order established a new...
Federal employees are the eyes and ears on the ground, often the first to recognize illegal, wasteful, or fraudulent activities. Providing this group of workers with whistleblower protections is important because it encourages federal workers to report misconduct...
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has rolled out a final rule updating the Pathways Programs, which are designed to enhance opportunities for early-career individuals to enter the federal government. This update represents a significant reform for the...
Workplace retaliation is illegal. Everyone knows that. At the same time, most people understand that retaliation remains a pervasive problem throughout the federal workspace. So, how can this be? The truth is that agencies, employers and managers often retaliate...
Some federal employees are political appointees, subject to the political whims of those who appointed them. However, most federal employees do not work at the political whims of others. They work for the United States public, and the law says that agencies must...
Political conversation in the workplace can create a minefield for federal employees. With the Hatch Act's restrictions on political activity, federal workers must understand on-the-job boundaries of lawful political discourse. This issue has arisen in light of the...