On Saturday, while most Federal employees were not in a duty status, they received another harassing email from the infamous hr@opm.gov instructing them to “reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week…” However, by Sunday evening, many agencies had already instructed their employees not to reply to that email. (See e.g., https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/23/politics/opm-federal-agencies-pushback-doge-musk/index.html).
When faced with a directive or order, even if you disagree with it, you should comply first and then raise concerns or complaints through proper channels later on. See Pedeleose v. Department of Defense, 2009 MSPB 16 (Feb. 12, 2009) (Pedeleose II) (finding that the obey-now-grieve-later rule reflects the fundamental management right to expect that its decisions will be obeyed and its instructions carried out). Further, if given conflicting instructions, you should follow the last instruction given. Thus, in this instance, if you have since been instructed by your agency head not to reply, then follow that instruction.
Equally important, unless your position requires your 24-hour availability, you have no obligation to check or read your government email when you are not otherwise in a duty-status. For your own mental well-being this is more important than ever to remember during these challenging times for Federal Executive Branch employees. Surviving DOGE will be a marathon not a sprint, so take the necessary time to recharge when not in a duty status.
Remember, you have rights, although you may need to enforce those rights through litigation. Remember also that you do have leverage. As of December 31, 2024, the total assets in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Common Stock Index “C” Fund (i.e., U.S. Company Stocks) were $339 billion. Now imagine if every active and retired Federal employee participating in the TSP elected to move all of their invested funds out of the “C” Fund to the International Stock Index Investment “I” Fund (i.e., non-U.S. Company stocks), maybe then U.S. Companies would start speaking against the devastation DOGE is doing to the U.S. Economy.
Stay Strong. We shall overcome one day.