Federal Worker Rights

As a federal employee, you have rights and remedies afforded to you by law. If you believe you are being targeted for an improper or illegal reason, you should:

1. Document everything

2. Seek legal advice, either from an attorney who specializes in federal employee law or from your union

3. File a complaint

Resources for Federal Employees

Find Your Union (Office of Personnel and Management)

• A number of unions have a national consultation relationship with the Office of Personnel Management.

Protect Yourself Online – Shield from Doxing  (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

• “Doxing refers to the internet-based practice of gathering an individual’s personally identifiable information (PII)—or an organization’s sensitive information—from open source or compromised material and publishing it online for malicious purposes.”
• To view resources in other languages, please click here.

Understand Your SF-50

• “The SF-50 is the Notification of Personnel Action. It contains certain employment information useful to the applicant or if applying for another federal job. It is used by current and former federal employees.”

Understand Your Rights as a Federal Employee (U.S. Office of Special Counsel)

• “The Office of Special Council’s (OSC) primary mission is to safeguard the merit system by protecting federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices (PPPs), especially reprisal for whistleblowing.”

Learn How to File an Appeal (U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board)

• “One of the MSPB’s primary statutory functions is to protect Federal merit systems against partisan political and other prohibited personnel practices by adjudicating employee appeals over which the Board has been given jurisdiction.”

Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (U.S. Office of Government Ethics)

Information for Probationary Employees (U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board)  

• “If the agency terminates you for unsatisfactory performances or conduct during your probationary period, you are entitled to a written notice on why you are being separated and the effective date for the separation. You may appeal your termination if it was not required by statute, only if you allege it was based on partisan political reasons or marital status 5 C.F.R. § 315.806(b).”

Job Assistance and Unemployment (New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions)

The State of New Mexico launched a dedicated resource page available on the Department of Workforce Solutions website: WorkForNM.com or www.dws.state.nm.us/FederalWorkerResources. The online resource offers vital information about unemployment insurance, job search and career support, and answers to frequently asked questions. This centralized hub aims to streamline access to critical resources for affected workers. 

Unemployment benefits are based on your work location, not your residence. Please reference the jurisdiction where your employer pays unemployment taxes to receive guidance on how to enroll.

Please visit the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions for additional information.

Unemployment Insurance provides temporary financial assistance to qualified individuals who meet state eligibility requirements. Unemployment Insurance benefits are financed through employer payroll taxes; they are not deducted from employee paychecks.

You can apply for Unemployment Benefits online at www.jobs.state.nm.us anytime or over the phone at 1-877-664-6984 Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.

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.