KCNF partner Mary Kuntz spoke at the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) Annual Conference, an all-day event bringing together plaintiff-side employment attorneys, judges, and outside experts to discuss developments across the employment law landscape.
Kuntz participated in a panel titled “Protecting Our Civil Service Workforce: The Rights of Federal Employees in Today’s Environment.” The panel examined the unprecedented challenges federal employees have faced over the past year and the legal tools available to protect their job security and workplace rights.
Drawing on their experience representing federal employees, the panelists discussed how workers can challenge firings, reductions in force, involuntary reassignments, and other employment actions imposed since January 2025. The discussion also addressed recent developments, including changes such as “Schedule Policy/Career,” efforts to decertify public employee unions, and attempts to weaken or eliminate collective bargaining agreements.
The panel covered recent and ongoing developments before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the federal courts, with the goal of providing practitioners with practical guidance to assist federal employee clients or direct them to appropriate resources.
The session was moderated by Michael Vogelsang of The Employment Law Group, with Rob Shriver of Democracy Forward and Debra D’Agostino of the Federal Practice Group joining Kuntz on the panel.