Your Legal Rights & Protections

What Federal Workers Can Do to Protect Themselves

A resource from Protect Democracy that provides an overview of federal workers’ substantive and procedural protections, among other topics.

Basics of Anti-Discrimination Law for Federal Employees 

A guide for federal employees from Civil Service Strong, which includes information on illegal discrimination and retaliation, filing equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints, MSPB appeals, and available remedies.

Your rights as a federal employee: Due process, adverse actions and union representation

Awebinar from The Partnership for Public Service.

The Relevant Federal Agencies & How to File with Them

The U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board

MSPB protects federal merit systems against partisan political and other prohibited personnel practices by hearing employee appeals in certain cases. The MSPB’s website describes the cases the MSPB has jurisdiction over, as well as the MSPB appeals process. 

NOTE: By statute, many FBI employees don’t have MSPB appeal rights. Gilbert Employment Law’s Appeal Rights for FBI Employees explains which civil service appeal rights apply to different categories of FBI employees.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

EEOC enforces laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including specific protections for workers affected by pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions and for workers with disabilities. The EEOC’s website describes the EEO complaint process for federal employees.

Note: Certain procedures for federal employees differ from those for non-federal employees.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel

OSC enforces laws that protect federal employees from prohibited personnel practices. OSC’s website describes how to file a prohibited personnel practices complaint, as well as policies and procedures when filing.  

Whistleblowing

Media Practical Guide

Protect Democracy has developed, with Justice Connection’s input and at its request, a practical guide to help current and recent employees speak to reporters – while protecting themselves and respecting the law.

Blow the Whistle Anonymously

The Government Accountability Project (GAP) offers a primer on how to blow the whistle anonymously.

In response to recent adverse actions taken against federal employees who voice dissent, GAP published Know Your Whistleblower Rights: Guidance for Federal Employees Experiencing Retaliation for Exercising their Rights to Dissent.

• A webinar from The Partnership for Public Service: What are my whistleblower rights?

Probationary Employees

FedSmith describes the federal government’s revised approach to probationary employees as a result of Executive Order 14284, a new OPM final rule issued in June 2025, and OPM’s updated guidance issued in August 2025. 

General Information

Several organizations have published general information to help federal probationary employees know their rights.

Protect Democracy
Just Security
The Partnership for Public Service 

Ethics & Professional Responsibility

Resign or Be Fired? 

We partnered with Protect Democracy on important guidance for DOJ employees, many of whom have been ordered to take actions that may violate rules of professional conduct.

Upholding Ethical Obligations

A DOJ attorney’s guide to upholding ethical obligations is also available from Protect Democracy.

Most state bars operate ethics hotlines or otherwise provide informal, confidential guidance on ethics issues to attorneys barred in the state. Visit the websites for the state(s) in which you’re barred to learn more. 

If you have urgent questions or can’t find the answers you need, you can contact us at intake@thejusticeconnection.org.

Helpful Trackers

Just Security

A litigation tracker that monitors legal challenges to the administration’s actions, including lawsuits challenging the removal of career personnel.

NYT litigation tracker 

Also tracks lawsuits challenging the administration’s agenda, including a specific section on “Firings,” which identifies lawsuits challenging adverse actions against federal employees.

Justice Connection’s DOJ Tracker 

Identifies all publicly-reported actions the administration has taken to harm DOJ, including – but not limited to – terminations of DOJ employees.

Justice Connection is providing these resources to support current and former DOJ employees. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the information on this page, Justice Connection does not guarantee either. None of the information above constitutes legal advice and Justice Connection does not endorse any of the above-referenced organizations.