Blog, News, Contributions

Document Everything—Your Career May Depend on It

In the federal workplace, good documentation can be your strongest defense and offense.

Keep detailed records of significant events, conversations, and decisions—especially those involving disputes, discipline, discrimination, or whistleblowing. Whenever possible, communicate BY EMAIL so you have a time-stamped, written record. 

If you have verbal conversations, create a brief transcript of what was said and send an email to the person you talked to, and "CC" yourself. Be polite. Describe what was discussed, thank them and say you wanted to ensure you understood correctly as the reason fo the email.

Save messages, memos, meeting notes, and relevant attachments in a secure location outside your agency’s network if possible. Keep a contemporaneous log of incidents, noting dates, times, locations, participants, and what was said or done.

Before you start documenting sensitive matters, get advice—a skilled federal employment attorney can guide you on what to track, how to store it safely, and how to ensure your notes and emails will be admissible at a legal process.

The right documentation, gathered early and methodically, can turn a “he said, she said” dispute into a winnable case.

Federal Workplace News

Workplace Survival Tips

Around the Politics of Government (Aug 8, 2025)

1. Executive Order & Legal Back-and-Forth
A sweeping executive order purportedly removes collective bargaining rights for up to two-thirds of federal workers, citing national security. Unions have filed multiple legal challenges, leading to preliminary injunctions from district courts. However, an appeals court has allowed aspects of the order to proceed.

2. Major Agencies Terminate Union Contracts

• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has terminated nearly all of its union contracts, directly affecting hundreds of thousands of employees. Police, firefighters, and security professionals remain exempt.Government Executive, VA News

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has similarly canceled collective bargaining agreements with multiple unions, citing the same executive directive.Federal News Network, Politico

• Other agencies are following suit.

3. Broader Impacts on Federal Workforce & Public Health

• NIOSH, a critical public health agency, faces severe staff cuts—losing around 850 of 1,000 employees—jeopardizing key programs like the firefighter cancer registry and respirator certification. Labor and health leaders are raising alarms.AP News

• Additionally, a deferred resignation program—informally known as the "Fork in the Road" memo—offered departing employees full pay and benefits while on leave, prompting backlash from unions and legal uncertaint

Federal Employment Categories & Your Rights

Be advised this is subject to change & there are even more hiring categories and authorities

Note: Schedule F was repealed in 2021, reinstated in 2025—its future remains TBD; Competitive Service paths (e.g., competitive examining, Pathways programs) are the main routes into standard federal roles; Direct Hire and Schedule appointments (A–E, Title 38/42) offer streamlined options for special professions or urgent staffing needs; NAF to APF conversion is possible under limited DoD-specific interchange agreements—but otherwise, NAF employees typically fall outside standard civil service hiring rules. The "GG" is a new category, we do not cover it below, but it is still being adjusted, and mostly at this point for IT related careers.

QUICK SUMMARY OF HIRING PROCESS AND VENUES

Sometimes, your status in government may determine your benefits. Talk to an attorney about your circumstances if you have any questions. Below is for information purposes only and subject to change.