In this episode of Workforce Watch, we break down the biggest federal workforce shakeups you need to know about this week. From Trump’s push for sweeping power to fire career feds “at any time, for any reason” to the creation of Schedule G aimed at stacking agencies with political loyalists—this episode connects all the dots.

We cover:

• Supreme Court ruling on firing consumer safety officials

• Schedule G vs. Schedule F: what it means for your job

• The VA’s massive workforce cuts and job downgrades

• Why unions are sounding the alarm

• Behind the scenes of the State Department’s whiplash layoffs

• Census staffing crisis and its ripple effect on communities

• Plus: meet the fired federal workers running for office—and the real economic toll of Maryland’s federal job losses

🎙️ Listen for critical updates, legal battles, and personal commentary that centers people, not just policy. This is more than bureaucracy—it’s about democracy, livelihoods, and the future of public service.

🛡️ Disclaimer: Workforce Watch is an independent newsletter created in a personal capacity. All views and opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect the views of any federal agency, department, or employer. Content is created during personal time using publicly available information and is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

This week’s episode is a full-on gut check. From 1,350 layoffs at the State Department to the Supreme Court greenlighting Education and HHS cuts, it’s clear that public service stability is unraveling in real time. I break down what’s happening inside federal agencies—from the DOJ walkouts and the climate data disappearing from government sites to the troubling rise of AI military contracts.

We also spotlight the fired feds who are fighting back by running for office, and I take a moment to reflect on the economic dangers of slashing Medicaid during a healthcare workforce crisis.

🎧 Listen while you sip your cafecito, take a walk, or try to stay grounded in this chaotic landscape.
🎶 Personal rec: I've been soothing my spirit with ‘90s alt-rock and Spanish rock—Tragic Kingdom is still elite.
📝 Also peep my latest Substack post: What If God Was One of Us?—a deep dive into spirituality, politics, and rage alchemy.

🛡️ Disclaimer: Views expressed are my own and do not represent any federal agency or employer. This podcast is produced in my personal capacity using publicly available information for educational and informational purposes only.

🚨 Supreme Court greenlights federal mass layoffs. Schumer demands answers after Texas flood response fails. Trump extends hiring freeze through October. In this episode of Workforce Watch, I break down the most critical federal workforce developments impacting public service, safety, and science.

We cover:

• The July 8 SCOTUS decision allowing mass federal layoffs before legal review

• Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s powerful dissent warning of constitutional overreach

• Chuck Schumer’s call for an investigation into how staffing cuts delayed Texas flood aid

• Trump’s hiring freeze extension and its ripple effects on government capacity

• OPM’s walk-back on controversial Trump-era hiring essay prompts

• Massive MSPB appeal backlogs leaving fired workers in limbo

• EPA retaliation against scientists—and why it matters

• The backlash to Trump’s so-called “Gold Standard Science” executive order

I also spotlight how cuts to FEMA, NOAA, and other critical agencies are putting lives at risk—and why we must rebuild the federal workforce before the next crisis.

🎧 Whether you’re a fed, nonprofit leader, or civic-minded citizen, tune in for expert HR insight, plain-language analysis, and grounded commentary on what these policies mean for our future.

Subscribe to Workforce Watch on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Substack to stay informed, grounded, and ready.

🛡️ Disclaimer: Workforce Watch is an independent newsletter created in a personal capacity. All views and opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect the views of any federal agency, department, or employer. Content is created during personal time using publicly available information and is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

Federal layoffs may be on pause—for now—but the deeper crisis is here: a mass exodus of scientists, public health experts, and policy minds from federal service. In this episode of Workforce Watch, Yoreim breaks down the latest federal workforce rulings, the legal battles brewing behind the scenes, and the chilling brain drain reshaping America’s scientific future. Plus: What the fall of Chevron means for agency power, why OPM's FedScope data overhaul matters, and the grassroots networks rising from the rubble.

🎙 Hosted by Yoreim, a proud Latina public servant, Workforce Watch offers real talk, critical context, and cultural clarity on what’s really happening inside the federal government.

📌 Topics Covered:

• Supreme Court’s shadow docket & EO 14210

• The scientific brain drain from agencies like NASA, NSF & EPA

• The fall of Chevron & its impact on agency authority

• HHS and State Department layoffs

• OPM’s FedScope data changes

• FEMA’s budget crisis & whistleblower protections

💡 Subscribe on Substack for deep dives, breakdowns, and bonus content: https://workforcewatch.substack.com/

🛡️ Disclaimer: Workforce Watch is an independent newsletter created in a personal capacity. All views and opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect the views of any federal agency, department, or employer. Content is created during personal time using publicly available information and is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

The federal workforce is under attack—and this week proves it. From cyber threats triggered by U.S. airstrikes on Iran to mass agency layoffs, power grabs, ICE arrests, and the war on remote work, this episode of Workforce Watch exposes the escalating dismantling of our public institutions and the real-world impact on our democracy, safety, and everyday lives.

Host Yoreim Virella breaks down:

• The fallout of the DOGE initiative and 280K+ federal layoffs

• Imminent Iranian cyberattacks and DHS's inability to respond

• SCOTUS, Senate, and OPM decisions reshaping job protections

• The racist erasure of Latino leaders and ICE targeting journalists

• “Big Balls” Coristine and Musk's infiltration of federal agencies

• Why the return-to-office push is really about control, not productivity

• The rise of Fired But Fighting, a powerful watchdog group of laid-off feds

Plus: How the attacks on workplace flexibility disproportionately harm worker's with disabilities, caregivers, and workers of color—and what you must know to stay ahead.

🧠 Stay informed. Stay powerful.
💥 Hit play for the federal tea you won’t hear on mainstream media.

Disclaimer: Workforce Watch is a personal podcast focused on breaking down federal workforce developments, public policy, and the lived experience of public servants. All views are my own and do not represent the views of any agency or employer. Content is created during personal time using publicly available information.

280,000 federal workers laid off. 27 government agencies restructured. And it’s barely making headlines.

Welcome to Workforce Watch, the go-to podcast for breaking down federal workforce news, mass layoffs, HR policy changes, and the fight to protect public service and democracy.

Hosted by Yoreim Virella Rivas—a federal HR expert with 13+ years of experience across nonprofit, private, and government sectors—this show explains how massive government restructuring is quietly dismantling labor rights, eliminating vital public programs, and reshaping the future of work in America.

Every week, you’ll get insider briefings on what’s happening inside federal agencies, what these changes mean for workers and communities, and why we need to act now.

🎧 Hit subscribe if you care about labor rights, democracy, public service, and what’s really happening inside government.

Follow Workforce Watch for weekly updates on federal workforce policy, public sector layoffs, and how political shifts are changing the future of work in real time.

Disclaimer: Workforce Watch is a personal podcast focused on breaking down federal workforce developments, public policy, and the lived experience of public servants. All views are my own and do not represent the views of any agency or employer. Content is created during personal time using publicly available information.