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TRS Supports Federal Workers

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TRS Supports Our Federal Workforce

This public webpage is designed to support TRS members who are part of the Federal workforce. Please check back here often to learn of resources available that we are able to pass along to you.

Meeting for TRS Members who are part of the Federal Workforce

Please join us for our second meeting of TRS Federal employees, contractors, and retirees. The goal of this gathering will be to offer a safe and confidential space to discuss the current situation, your thoughts and concerns, and to offer each other support. Please note this invitation is for TRS members only and is specifically for federal employees, contractors and Federal retirees.

Next meeting: TBA - Please check back at this page.

Resources to Help Federal Workers

1. Attorneys who are available to help (some are pro bono, some require payment). TRS is not endorsing any lawyer or organization.

  • Whistlebloweraid.com This an organization providing legal help to federal employees. They are accessing a pool of lawyers coalescing to help those in need.
  • List of federal employment law specialists, generated by one of our federal retired attorneys. Click here for the PDF.
  • Here is a list of other employement lawers by another TRS attorney. Click here for the PDF.
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2. Legal Suggestions Here is a list of TRS members who are offering to be mentors/advisors to fellow members who are federal workers. Click here for PDF (still gathering names).

3. Senator Tim Kaine (VA) wrote a message Friday to Federal workers. In it he lists resources. Click here to go to Senator Kaine’s message.

4. Representaive Jamie Raskin (MD) held a webinar today about this issue. View it here.

5. Resources Cautioning about the “Fork in the Road” Deferred Resignation “officer”:

  • 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 [click here]
  • Civil Service Strong FAQ on Fork in the Road [click here]
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6. Resources for Federal Employees in General

  • Justice Connection: [click here]
  • The Partnership for Public Service: (PPS) New Federal Employee Resource Hub [click here]
  • PPS: Free webinars for federal employees on current challenges [click here]
  • It is suggested you should download your SF50 and LES and other documents as soon as possible.
  • Webinars from National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. They have been hosting webinars this week. To see their archive of webinars on this topic, go here. to see upcoming webinars, go here.
  • Civil Service Strong ( a project of Democracy Forward and partners – contains general information). Website
  • If You Can Keep It (a project of Protect Democracy and partners). Article: “What Civil Servants Need to Know in Week Two“
  • Democracy 2025 Resource Center (a coalition of a number of organizations) challenging and tracking challenges to certain administration actions. Website
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7.  Assistance specifically for DOJ/FBI employees

  • Justice Connection: Defending and advising DOJ/FBI employees: [click here]

8. Assistance specifically for USAID employees

TRS Events

The government shutdown has ended, so our federal members will be allowed to return to work (and thank you to those who had to work without pay during the shutdown)! While we will miss spending some time with you and sharing “furlough-nuts,” we’ve cancelled the Wednesday Furlough-nuts and Coffee meetups. At the same time, we, your community here at Temple Rodef Shalom, continue to support our federal community as they navigate the anxiety and concerns brought on over the last months. 

TRS Supports Our Federal Workforce and Contractors

This public webpage is designed to support TRS members who are part of the Federal workforce. Please check back here often to learn of resources available that we are able to pass along to you. If there is something that you want to see on this page, please email .

Scroll down and you’ll find:

  • TRS Events for Federal and Furloughed Workers
  • Other Announcements
  • Resources

Our Caring Committee wants to help you! The Caring Committee knows how difficult things have been lately, and we want to support you. Our Caring volunteers would love to give you a break from meal planning and prep by providing meals now and again for you and your family, delivered to your home (with any dietary restrictions taken into account). If you would love a few nights free from thinking about dinner (of course you do, right?!), please sign up by emailing to let us know, and we will contact you with more info. Childcare, Eldercare, meal trains, other caring resources may be available. Let us know what needs you have, or resources you can offer.

Signal App: If you are a TRS member, we have a private group on the Signal app just for us to communicate about federal worker issues. If you would like to be included, please email .

Financial assistance is becoming available through TRS via our own members’ gifts and funds through the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for our members impacted by changes to the federal workforce and federal grant funding. If you would like to apply for assistance, please be email our Director of Philanthropy, Hannah Moore.

Other Announcements

posted on 1/13/26

A new organization called Grounded Idealist is offering three free executive coaching sessions to current and former government and nonprofit employees, including contractors. The program is designed to support individuals navigating professional transitions, leadership challenges, and personal growth. A $50 registration fee applies, with scholarships available to cover the cost.

In addition to this opportunity, TRS member Faith Halter, PCC, is offering three hours of free executive coaching to congregants who would prefer not to participate through a formal organization. Faith is a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employee and longtime international environmental consultant with more than 20 years of coaching experience, including work with federal employees and contractors.

Coaching areas include:

  • Executive and leadership coaching
  • ADHD and executive function coaching
  • Mentor coaching

This offering is shared as a gift to the TRS community. Those interested may reach out directly at .

posted on 12/22/25

Wed, Jan 7, 7:00 PM Federal Community Tent (Virtual) Federal community members are invited to a new TRS Tent created to support and bring together current and former employees and families of federal government and contractors. Please email to join.

posted on 12/1/25

Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Washington offers interest-free loans up to $20,000 to community members in need. Learn more on their website. You can also donate to help them help others.

Resources

Here are some resources for federal workers that might be helpful during this shutdown. We especially thank the Women Lawyers on Guard Action Network for sharing much of this information and Women’s Bar Association of DC for compiling it.

  • Federal Unionists Network resources for terminated federal workers, workers seeking to unionize or strengthen their union, and general resources for federal workers.
  • A group called Federal Workers Legal Defense Network was organized to fight attacks on the rights of federal workers. Their site also has letter writing suggestions for saving federal agencies, as well as a link to the Bluesky and Instagram sites which provide info on court rulings.
  • The Public Service Alliance (PSA) is a nonpartisan prevention, crisis response and resilience network for current and former public servants at every level of government regardless of political affiliation. On this site are tools, services, and expert networks to help with legal and financial issues, responding to the crisis and enhancing well-being and resilience. There are several different PSA hubs on the site to help you in these areas. If you want to volunteer to partner with them, you can fill out this online form.
  • Capital Area Food Bank provides food for Federal Workers.
  • The Partnership for Public Service is supporting civil servants with their resource hub.
  • Posted 3/23/25 Congressman Don Beyer’s email to his constituents about what he is doing to help federal workers.
  • The Social Justice Committee has a blog page that also may have events and resources for federal workers.
  • Govexec.com website has information and up to date news for federal workers.
  • Pay and Benefits Watch from the Govexec website on pay and benefits issues during a shutdown and related stories including a crash course in retirement planning.
  • Fairfax County Federal Worker Resource Hub webpage.
  • Virginia announces Job Hub for Commonwealth residents impacted by the federal job cuts.
  • Representative Don Beyer’s website resource page for federal workers.
  • The non-profit organization, Protect Democracy, has a portal, that is anonymous and confidential, for documenting specific information about federal contract terminations, examples of impacts on projects, programs and operations, staff cuts and data access issues without using personal information.
  • Federal workers who have a disability can read this informational document from Bazelon Center, ACLU and DREDF about your rights.
  • The law firm James and Hoffman has posted on their website that they are also about to file a suit on behalf of probationary employees (they have received over 800 inquiries) that they indicate will utilize different arguments than the ones being advance by Democracy Forward.
  • If you are a probationary employee, you may want to check out this resource from Protect Democracy.
  • Women Lawyers On Guard have updated its resource document of legal resources for federal workers.
  • Read HR-related OPM memos posted by the Chief Human Capital Officers Council.
  • Read the White House’s EO page. These sites are where you can read the original documents without having to go through media or other sites.
  • On the rights of probationary employees: Here is an FAQ on Just Security’s website about probationary employees who have fewer employment protections than non-probationary employees — but that doesn’t mean there are none.
  • The Federal Workers Rights blog maintained by the law firm James & Hoffman.
  • Articles
Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)