Under Siege: Resources for Federal Employees and Volunteers

by WomenLawyersOnGuard | Feb 10, 2025 | Issues

Federal District Court Judge George O’Toole held a hearing this afternoon in Boston on the so called “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation proposal.  He will now consider whether he should bar the administration from carrying out this plan. There have been and will be many other illegal incursions on our government and its employees. We cannot be passive; we must take action.  So, this is our 5th email with additional resources for federal employees and also volunteer actions you can take –whether you are a lawyer or not.

PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR NETWORKS.

Resources and Guides for Federal Employees and Others

•  “Answering questions about the federal workforce” Michelle Singletary, Lisa Rein, Emily Davies, Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/06/federal-workers-resignation-offer-questions-answers/
• The Partnership for Public Service: (Free webinars for federal employees about current challenges) https://events.ourpublicservice.org/federal-employee-explainer-webinar-series

• “Dear Civil Servant” (If you Can Keep It -a project of Protect Democracy) https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/dear-civil-servant
• Civil Service Strong (a project of Democracy Forward) https://www.civilservicestrong.org/resources

• “How YOU can protect Democracy” (Quinn Raymond at If You Can Keep It- ): https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/how-you-can-protect-democracy
• New “Whistleblower” complaint portal for federal workers reporting unlawful activities in their agencies: https://www.democrats.senate.gov/whistleblowers

Volunteer Opportunities- Lawyer and Some Non-lawyer

• Lawyers for Good Government https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/volunteer
• We the Action: https://wetheaction.org/projects?order=most_recent_desc
• The Public Service Alliance, US (non-lawyer volunteering available):  https://thepublicservicealliance.com/partner-with-us/
• Call Your Senators and Congresspeople and express your [fill in the blank noun] at the illegal and unconstitutional actions of the Trump/Musk administration.  Find your rep’s contact info here: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials OR use “5 Calls” (they provide scripts for the issue you choose: https://5calls.org/

Tracking Litigation and Anti-Democracy Actions

• Just Security (updated continually) https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/
• Coming soon: “The Democracy Index” (The Contrarian):  https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-democracy-index-and-the-contrarian

Please forward to your networks.  Thank You

Cory Amron, President

Dec 6 is a “Fork in the Road”: More Resources for Federal Employees

by WomenLawyersOnGuard | Feb 5, 2025 | Issues

We have consistently pledged not to crowd your inbox with multiple emails.  But there is an urgent deadline tomorrow, Feb 6, for federal employees. So, this is our 4th email with additional resources for federal employees and volunteer actions you can take if you are not a federal employee.

PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR NETWORKS.

Resources cautioning about the “Fork in the Road” Deferred Resignation “Offer”
DEADLINE FEB 6

•  Article by Michelle Singletary in Feb 2 Washington Post Repeated Feb 5. Contains multiple reasons strongly advising government employees Not to exercise the “Fork in the Road” resignation “offer.”
•  Protect Democracy: information to help federal employees separate truth from fiction on the “Fork in the Road” email before the February 6 deadline https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/separating-truth-from-fiction-on
• Civil Service Strong FAQ on Fork in the Road https://www.civilservicestrong.org/resource/opm-fork-in-the-road.

Resources for federal employees in general

• Justice Connection:  https://www.thejusticeconnection.org/resources/
• The Partnership for Public Service: (PPS) New Federal Employee Resource Hub https://ourpublicservice.org/supporting-federal-employees-through-change/
•  PPS: Free webinars for federal employees on current challenges https://events.ourpublicservice.org/federal-employee-explainer-webinar-series

Assistance specifically for DOJ/FBI employees

•  Justice Connection: Defending and advising DOJ/FBI employees: https://www.thejusticeconnection.org/.

Volunteer and “Take Action” Opportunities

• Lawyers for Good Government.  They are set up to use volunteers. They can’t guarantee they have a project right now, but sign up HERE: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/volunteer
• They also have ongoing “take action” initiatives HERE: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/take-action
• We The Action: Lawyers volunteer with leading nonprofits: https://wetheaction.org/
•  Lawyers Defending American Democracy (LDAD) Encouraging lawyers to support the guardrails of democracy including the rule of law. See their engagement project HERE and bring this initiative to your bar association.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR NETWORKS
And please send us other resources and volunteer opportunities that come to your attention.

Thank You

Cory Amron, President

Important Resources for Federal Employees and Volunteers

by WomenLawyersOnGuard | Feb 2, 2025 | Issues

As we navigate this unprecedented time, this is WLG’s 3^rd email with resources for federal employees and also opportunities for all of us to volunteer and take action to support democracy.
PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR NETWORKS.

Time Sensitive Resources: 

• Webinars from National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.  NARFE is a nonprofit association that represents current and retired federal employees. They are hosting webinars to help federal employees understand the current climate and provide benefits advice:  Monday, February 3^rd; 2PM ET “Stay or Go” Considering the “Deferred Resignation” Offer, Retirement Options, and Potential Options. https://www.narfe.org/federal-benefits-institute/narfe-webinars/
• Town Hall: U.S. Representative Don Beyer focusing on federal civil servant employees: Monday, February 3^rd; 6-7 PM ET; Dial-in Number: 833-998-0892

On Going Resources:

• Civil Service Strong (a project of Democracy Forward and partners) https://www.civilservicestrong.org/resources  (e.g. cautions about the “Fork in the Road” email.)  See also the warning from U.S. Senator Tim Kane HERE.
• If You Can Keep It (a project of Protect Democracy and partners) (e.g. “What Civil Servants Need to Know in Week Two” by Erica Newland https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/what-civil-servants-need-to-know

Volunteer and “Take Action” Opportunities

• Lawyers for Good Government.  They are set up to use volunteers. They can’t guarantee they have a project right now, but sign up HERE: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/volunteer
• They also have ongoing “take action” initiatives HERE: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/take-action
• Lawyers Defending American Democracy (LDAD) Encouraging lawyers to support the guardrails of democracy including the rule of law. See their engagement project HERE and bring this initiative to your bar association.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR NETWORKS
And please send us other resources and volunteer opportunities that come to your attention.

Thank You

Cory Amron, President

Democracy Protection Including Federal Employees

by WomenLawyersOnGuard | Jan 22, 2025 | Issues

Dear Women  Lawyers On Guard,

Did you know that only 15% of federal employees work in the DC area?  Now that they and our democracy are under attack, do you need help navigating ways to help them, yourselves, or to protect and strengthen democracy itself?

Following up our Dec 16^th email, here are some additional resources.  The first two are specifically focused on federal employees, the others are about how you can help strengthen democracy through your own small (or large) measures, by volunteering or just taking individual action.

Resources and Guides for Civil Servants

• “Dear Civil Servant” (If you Can Keep It -a project of Protect Democracy) :  https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/dear-civil-servant
• Coming Soon: “Civil Service Strong” (Democracy Forward) resources for employees:  https://www.civilservicestrong.org/resources

Other Resources for Protecting and Strengthening Democracy

• Volunteer:  Lawyers for Good Government.  This is the easiest organization to volunteer with. Although they are not working federal employee issues at this time, they are addressing immigration, climate change, reproductive and civil rights https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/volunteer
• “How YOU can protect Democracy” (Quinn Raymond at If You Can Keep It): https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/how-you-can-protect-democracy
• Executive Order Resource Center (Democracy Forward):  https://www.democracy2025.org/response-center
• Coming soon: “The Democracy Index” (The Contrarian):  https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-democracy-index-and-the-contrarian

Please forward this to your networks.

Cory Amron, President

Photo by Isabella Fischer, Unsplash