For over 30 years, Assistant U.S. Attorneys have identified pay parity issues as a detriment to their workplace wellbeing. AUSAs remain significantly under compensated compared to attorneys at the Department of Justice (main Justice attorneys).

As we dig into 2021, a recurring issue FEEA sees among federal employees who are parents is concern about kids and school. Whether they’re navigating fully remote learning, hybrid in-person/remote options, or fully in-person schooling, kids and parents are finding this school year challenging and kids may be falling behind in various subjects.

Today, as a profession, we face what seems like insurmountable challenges. Society as a whole is also in upheaval. Accusations fly against each other without thought and the police are often caught in the middle. There is nothing new in that. The police have always been used to solve problems quickly. The problem with this is that police solve problems by making arrests.

According to Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force, when someone takes their own life, “It is estimated over 115 people are impacted, with 1 in 5 reporting this experience had a devasting impact or caused a major life interruption.” The impact will be felt throughout the entire agency, community, and the family. For these reasons, having an established policy on navigating the aftermath of a suicide is essential. Agencies often struggle with supporting the families and co-workers after suffering a suicide.

Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) has grown from serving 35,000 survivors to over 55,000 in less than a decade. Statistics have shown an average of 140-160 officers dying in the line of duty each year, which, multiplied by their surviving family members and co-workers, explains why the membership has grown so fast. However, in the past two years, that average is changing, and it’s not in the declining direction, unfortunately.