They kept a file on you. It's time you kept one on them.

For the last year and a half, federal employees have lived through hiring freezes, deferred resignations, probationary firings, and RIFs — and watched a court rule that tens of thousands of those firings were unlawful while almost no one got their job back. Civil Rights for Civil Servants is the answer to that moment: a podcast from Shaun Southworth and Lydia Taylor, two attorneys who represent federal employees and only federal employees, nationwide — putting fifteen years of fighting for feds to work for you.

In this pre-release introduction, Shaun lays out what the show is and how it works. Each episode opens with the Docket — the news feds are actually talking about, in plain English and what it means for you. Then the Case File: one legal strategy at a time, the steps, the deadlines, and the protections you need to know before you need them. We sit down with people worth hearing from, and we close with Ask Shaun and Lydia Anything — your questions, answered. Send yours anytime to advocate@southworthpc.com.

Episode one premieres Juneteenth, Friday, June 19th — a date we chose on purpose, with a few guests we think you'll want to hear. The show is proudly ad-free, sponsored by Southworth PC, with new episodes every other week.

Follow or subscribe now so episode one lands in your feed the moment it drops, and share this with a coworker who needs it: fedlegalhelp.com/podcast

Your career deserves a defense, and your peace of mind deserves a plan.

This podcast is general information, not legal advice.

Welcome to the premiere of Civil Rights for Civil Servants, the podcast from Southworth PC dedicated to federal employees nationwide. Hosts Shaun Southworth (founding partner) and Lydia Taylor (managing partner) launch the show on Juneteenth — a deliberate choice, because the day the last enslaved Americans in Galveston learned they were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, captures a theme at the heart of this work: people can hold rights they don't know they have. Many federal employees are in exactly that position.

Every episode follows the same rhythm: The Docket (the federal-workforce news you need to know, in plain English), The Case File (one legal strategy you can actually use), the Interview, and Ask Shaun & Lydia Anything.

In this episode:

The Docket

• Schedule Policy/Career — the June 3 executive order moving roughly 4,800+ positions (about 8,000 employees) out of their traditional civil-service protections in a first wave, and what it means for MSPB and whistleblower rights. Who is actually affected, and why most of the workforce is not.
• OPM's proposed RIF rewrite — why a change that elevates recent performance ratings over length of service could reshape how reductions in force play out, and what employees should watch for.

The Case File: The File You Should Be Building on Your Agency

Why documentation is the most powerful tool a federal employee has. Shaun and Lydia walk through the last 18 months in three chapters — the initial shock, the courts' response, and the current "shutdown rebound" stage — and explain why you should keep your SF-50, performance evaluations, position description, awards, and key supervisor emails organized and within reach (always within your agency's IT and security rules). Plus: why HR works for the agency, why cases are won on facts and evidence rather than emotion, and how mindfulness helps you respond clearly instead of reacting.

The Interview

The surprise first guests turn out to be the hosts themselves. Shaun and Lydia interview each other on what drew them to this work — Lydia on the significance of launching on Juneteenth and standing up for federal employees, particularly the Black federal workforce; Shaun on his path from a small town in Wyoming to founding a civil-rights-focused firm — and what they hope the show will be.

Ask Shaun & Lydia Anything

• Which documents should I keep copies of at home, and can I do that without getting in trouble?
• I'm on probation, or my job just moved to Schedule Policy/Career — am I powerless now?

A quick note: This podcast is legal information, not legal advice. Listening does not make you a client. If something is happening to you at work, talk to a lawyer about your specific situation.

Have a question for the show? Email advocate@southworthpc.com or reach us through our social platforms.

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Learn more / get help: attorneysforfederalemployees.com

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Podcast home: fedlegalhelp.com/podcast

This show is proudly ad-free and sponsored by Southworth PC. Your service is worth protecting — let's protect it together.