A major shift in federal workforce policy just became final — and its implications reach far beyond HR paperwork.

Audrey Roofeh, founder of Integrity Matters, joins FedUpward to unpack the newly finalized Schedule P/C rule from the Office of Personnel Management. The rule creates a new category of federal employees who no longer have traditional civil service tenure protections — expanding the number of "at-will" positions across government. Learn more about the policy here.

But the ripple effects don't stop there.

Audrey explains how Schedule P/C could dramatically expand who qualifies as a "covered branch official" under the Lobbying Disclosure Act — potentially requiring small businesses, consultants, and government contractors to register as lobbyists simply for communicating with certain federal employees about contracts, grants, permits, or loans.

Together, they discuss:

• How Schedule P/C differs from Schedule F

• Why civil service protections exist in the first place

• What it means to lose Merit Systems Protection Board appeal rights

• How businesses may face new lobbying registration burdens

• Why this change could create a chilling effect within federal agencies

Whether you're a federal employee, government contractor, consultant, or small business owner working with the federal government, this conversation breaks down what's happening — and why it matters now.

Learn more about Integrity Matters here: https://integritymatters.org/ 

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