What to Do Now – Getting Fed Communities Ready for What’s Coming
- This guide is intended to help federal employees, recently departed staff, former appointees, and allies understand how to prepare for actions against their department or agency if/when it becomes under threat by DOGE/Trump Administration.
- DOGE Workforce Reductions
Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA)
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
- American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
Deferred Resignation Program (Buyout)
- If you’ve taken the buyout but it is deemed illegal please see here for an example of “equitable estoppel” and “detrimental reliance.” **Note that these two concepts may not be available against the Federal Government.
- My Federal Retirement
- Some considerations on the Office of Personnel Management’s Deferred Resignation Program
- Office of Personnel Management FAQs
Schedule Policy/Career (Schedule F)
Return to in-person work
- Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
- American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
Probationary Workers
SF-50 – Determining your service and appointment type
Resources for Federal Scientists
Federal Workers Rights
- Legal Defense Fund (Racial Justice) (LDF)
- Resource Bank for Racial Equity (Under a Trump Presidency)
- What are my rights as an employee? PPS Webinar
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission “Overview of Federal Sector EEO Complaint Process.”
- Merit Systems Protections Board trainings page and list of prohibited personnel practices
- Learn how to file an appeal
- Understand Your Rights as a Federal Employee
- Five Rights All Federal Workers Have
- Agency Ethics Program Contact Information
- ACLU Guide – Federal Employee Speech & The First Amendment
- Government Accountability Project discussion of the rights of employees to refuse to take illegal orders
Legal Help
- Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
- Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF)
- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Benefits Advice
- National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE)
- “How might my benefits be affected?” PPS Webinar
General Resources
- Civil Service Strong – provides many useful resources on a wide array of topics that affect the civil service and help enforce their rights
- Partnership for Public Service Resource Hub
Unexpected Unemployment Advice
Employees/Former Employees at Risk of Attacks/Harassment
Whistleblower Assistance
- Government Accountability Project (GAP)
- U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Whistleblower Contact Information
- National Whistleblower Legal Defense & Education Fund
- Whistleblower Aid
- Senate Democrats Whistleblowers Portal – It’s been advised to check with counsel before submitting on this portal.
- Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds
- Whistleblower Protection Act Overview
- What are my whistleblower rights? PPS Webinar
- National Whistleblower Center
- Office of Special Counsel “Know Your Rights When Reporting Wrongs” pamphlet.
- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has established a channel for feds to anonymously share information. For anyone who approaches the Committee and requests to be treated as a whistleblower, SFRC will keep their identity anonymous and would only reveal information that could identify the individual with their consent. Retribution and retaliation—including for making protected disclosures to Congress—is prohibited by federal law (see 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8)(C)). Such protected disclosures include any disclosure an employee reasonably believes is a violation of any law, rule, or regulation or gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. Committee counsel are experienced in dealing with whistleblowers and conducting investigations based on disclosures made to the Committee. If you would like to speak to the committee before deciding to make such a disclosure, they would be happy to make themselves available. For both the consultation and the disclosure itself: Contact: Megan Bartley, 202-341-8612 (on signal/whatsapp).
- Tips for Speaking to the Press and more Tips
Environmental Jobs Boards
- Environmental Protection Network (EPN)
- EPA Alumni Association
- Public Sector Job Board
- TechCongress’ Job Opportunities
- Civic Match
- State Hiring Opportunities
- American Clean Power
- New York State Jobs at NYSERDA and NY Green Bank
Unemployment Insurance Considerations
- Department of Labor Unemployment Filing Info and state links – Unemployment benefits rules vary state by state, but generally you are not entitled to unemployment benefits if you resign from your job.
- Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) Fact Sheet
- Department of Labor Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
- Insurance For Fired and Laid Off Workers (FederalPay.org)
- Federal Employee Professional Liability Insurance (FEPLI)