Georgians –

I want to express my deep concern for the current administration’s unwarranted and unjustified targeting of Georgia’s federal employees. These often unlawful actions aren’t just putting Georgia’s federal workers at risk, but are threatening working families across the state who rely on the work done by federal employees in areas like health care, education, and public safety. Our public servants dedicate themselves to fostering healthy and safe communities. If you are a federal worker affected by the Trump administration’s actions, please contact me and confidentially share your story here.

I stand firm in my belief that Georgia’s federal public servants are critical to the fabric of our democracy. I am appreciative of every public servant who quietly and nobly does the people’s work every day. I will keep you updated as I fight to protect you.

In light of recent events, I also want to pass along some specific guidance:

Federal Worker Rights

Despite all the attacks on federal civil service workers, federal workers still have rights and protections under the law. If you believe you are being targeted for an improper or illegal reason, you should:

Document everything
Seek legal advice, either from an attorney who specializes in federal employee law or from your union
File a complaint

Filing a complaint

Note: If you are in a bargaining unit, you should contact your union first, as there may be a negotiated set of different grievance procedures.

Are you a current or former federal employee or applicant, not on the list of exceptions here, and have been subjected by your employer to any of the following prohibited personnel practices, which are employment activities that are banned in the federal workplace:

Discrimination (although OSC defers to EEOC on any overlapping claims)
Personnel recommendations taken based on connections or influence
Coercing political activity
Obstructing competition
Influencing withdrawal from competition
Granting unauthorized advantage
Nepotism
Whistleblower retaliation
Other retaliation
Violating rules that implement a merit system principle
Imposing nondisclosure agreements that do not allow whistleblowing
Accessing medical records in the furtherance of another prohibited personnel practice

You may have a right to file a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel. To do this, start by filing a complaint online. OSC can seek corrective action (meaning an action that corrects what happened to the complainant), disciplinary action (meaning an action that penalizes the agency official(s) who committed the PPP), or both.

Are you a federal employee and believe one of the following personnel actions were taken against you not on the basis of merit but for other reasons:

Agency adverse actions–removals, suspensions of more than 14 days, reductions in grade or pay, and furloughs of 30 days or less,
Or other types of actions including: performance-based removals or reductions in grade, denials of within-grade salary increases, reduction-in-force actions, OPM suitability determinations, OPM employment practices, OPM determinations in retirement matters, denials of restoration or reemployment rights, terminations of probationary employees under certain circumstances, and placements or movements into excepted service positions without civil service protections?

You may have the right to appeal the personnel action to the U.S Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The MSPB has a Q&A here and the agency has the burden of proving that it was justified in taking the action.

To do this, start by filing an appeal in writing. There are a number of steps, but at the end you can seek review of a final decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Are you a federal employee or federal job applicant and believe you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, pregnancy, or transgender status), national origin, age (40 and older), disability or genetic information?

Do you believe you have been retaliated against by opposing employment discrimination on the above grounds, filed a complaint of discrimination, or participated in the EEO complaint process (even if the complaint is not yours)?

You may have a right to file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). More details are found on the EEOC’s website, but start by contacting an EEOC Counselor at the agency where you work or where you applied for the job within 45 days of when the discrimination occurred.

There are a number of steps, but at the end you have the ability to appeal a decision to the EEOC or file a lawsuit in federal district court.

Whistleblower Guidance

Whistleblowers are a vital part of Congressional oversight to hold Executive Branch accountable. U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Minority Staff and Ranking Member, with the Senate Minority Leader, have established a new portal for whistleblowers in the federal government who want to disclose information about wrongdoing, including individuals interested in reporting abuses of power and threats to public safety.

Please find a letter to whistleblowers with guidance and resources here.

If you would like to submit a whistleblower complaint, you can submit it here.

The information contained in this website is provided for informational purposes only and intended to provide a general overview of the legal rights of federal employees as set forth by executive branch agencies with responsibility for protecting those rights, such as the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The information contained in this website should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. For legal advice, consult an attorney or if you are in a bargaining unit, consult your union.

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Updated February 13, 2025