Take Action

Make sure policymakers and leaders across the country know your views and understand the importance of the nonpartisan federal workforce. Below are concrete ways to make sure your voice is heard.

Actions You Can Take Today 

Write or call your member of Congress

Let your representatives know that you support an apolitical civil service that is committed to serving their constituents and to upholding the Constitution.

Look up your representatives

Contact the White House

Let the White House know your views and urge the administration to approach reshaping the federal workforce with a thoughtful, transparent strategy in partnership with career civil service leaders.

Contact them

Share your story with us

To help us highlight your work and impact, use this form to tell us about your federal job, the people you helped, and what the public lost when your job or program was eliminated. 

Share your story

Participate in local town halls or community events

Share your story with your local community. Tell people about the work you did, the people you helped and why a professional civil service matters. 

Write a letter to the editor

Submit a letter to the editor, or commentary to your local news outlet, and share how the federal workforce affects your community. Most local outlets have a submission process, which you can find by searching “letter to the editor” + [outlet name].

Tips for writing a letter

Write a message of support

Let other civil servants know you appreciate them and the work they do on our behalf.

Leave a message

Sign up for our newsletter

Get timely updates and resources by signing up for our weekly newsletter. Consider sharing it with other current or former federal employees in your network.

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Support our work with a donation

The Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that relies on support from generous donors. Please consider a gift to help us support federal employees and champion effective government. Your donation will help us publish critical research, share stories of federal service and impact, educate policymakers about the importance of a modern civil service and strategies for improvement, and create resources to help federal employees navigate the current environment.   

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Connect with us on social media and share our latest content with your networks.

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#ISupportFeds
Story Wall

Workforce Engagement
I spent nearly 17 years in the federal government managing health care programs that supported Americans volunteering overseas with the Peace Corps. I later transitioned to the Department of Health and Human Services, where I was denied access to the building I had worked in for nearly 11 years on April 1. My work focused on building community partnerships and examining how our programs served underserved communities across the United States. To have our office suddenly dismantled—despite its inclusion in legislation under the Affordable Care Act—is something I still do not understand. I was proud to serve the American public in different roles during my time as a civil servant, and it was an honor to work to improve access to quality health care. Sadly, my time came to an abrupt end. I feel completely discarded by agency leadership who made promises that were clearly not kept. #ISupportFeds
Christine, District of Columbia
Community Engagement
I think about the time I met with an agent from the Social Security Administration. I wasn’t sure of the benefits I would be receiving or how understanding the agent would be of my situation. The person who helped me was patient, and I left feeling he had done everything he could to make sure I would receive all the benefits I should. I was pleasantly surprised and left feeling he was looking out for me. I am very grateful for his work.
Sue, Minnesota
Community Engagement
I would like to honor my friend and mentor Roy Heberger. He worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Boise, Idaho, over a long career. In the 1980s and 1990s, Heberger was instrumental in the effort to stop hydroelectric projects on the Salmon River. Those proposed projects would have decimated salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest—populations that were already seriously compromised by dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Later, Heberger played a key role in restoring wolf populations in Idaho, working with others to assure the successful relocation of wolves from Canada. Idaho now has a fully recovered wolf population thanks to that effort. He worked tirelessly with colleagues, adversaries and the Idaho Legislature to help ensure the state’s fish and wildlife resources got a fair shake. Heberger dedicated time and energy to promoting the careers of the biologists who worked for him, emphasizing opportunities for women in a male-dominated agency. His work was motivated by a deep love for wildlife.
Allison, Idaho
Community Engagement
I am so grateful for all of the air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents keeping us all safe and still working without pay during the shutdown. I flew through San Diego, and you wouldn't have known there was a shutdown because the airport was well-staffed and there were minimal delays. So just a huge shout-out to the professionalism and dedication of these fine individuals. We all really appreciate you.
Ellen, California
Workforce Engagement
I started in service more than 20 years ago as a Presidential Management Fellow at a Department of Health and Human Services operating division and was fired in July. My work centered on mental health, dementia, pain, autism, long-term care and other issues that impact millions of Americans enrolled in public health programs. I loved my job and enjoyed working side by side with others dedicated to improving the health and well-being of millions of Americans. It was a shock to be kicked out. The forced retirement process has been awful — people eligible for retirement do not qualify for severance or unemployment, and we continue to wait for the Office of Personnel Management to process our paperwork. Older adult retirement-eligible federal employees are also impacted by backups in Medicare Part B enrollment, as Social Security is similarly stalled. I was diagnosed with cancer only weeks after being fired and have had multiple surgeries. Now I have bills for copays I should not be responsible for. I still can't believe the treatment we've been subjected to.
Ellen B, Maryland
Science
My husband is a federal employee, a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey. A large part of his job is making sure that the bodies of water that feed municipal water supplies are safe. He also has been doing highway runoff studies to see how much water pollution is caused by cars and find a way to lower it. Due to this shutdown, we are extremely affected. I am a cancer survivor who lost my job due to cuts at the Department of Energy.
Erica W, United States of America
Veterans
As a retired U.S. Air Force veteran who served during Vietnam, I would like to share a message of encouragement and appreciation for our federal workers affected by the shutdown. I want to express my heartfelt support for all our federal workers during these unprecedented times. I know how difficult it must be to find yourselves in this situation — working without pay, facing uncertainty, and wondering how long it will last. Many of you, like me, have dedicated your lives to serving this nation. We've made commitments to our country, our communities, and our families. To see that dedication met with indifference by political leaders is painful and unfair. I'd be honored if you would consider posting or sharing it with your community of federal employees.
Regalado "Paul" Lastra, United States of America

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Sample posts

Civil servants need our support now more than ever. Help us share why their work matters by sharing stories about federal employees who have made a difference in your life. #ISupportFeds https://bit.ly/ISupportFeds

       

Federal workers deserve our gratitude and respect, but they are under attack. Send a clear message that you’ve got their back, by sharing stories about federal employees who have made a difference in your life. #ISupportFeds https://bit.ly/ISupportFeds

       

From keeping our food and water safe to responding to natural disasters, federal workers play a vital role in our everyday lives. Learn how you can share your support for them at https://bit.ly/ISupportFeds

       

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