When speaking about Federal Workers' labor rights, Suzanne is an expert. Trusted news outlets from all over the globe reach out to her for her legal opinion and views on anything labor-related, especially in the federal sector.
Articles
“These firings they’re conducting without following the law will result in hundreds of thousands of former federal employees being owed back pay, plus interest, plus benefits, plus attorneys fees,” said Summerlin. “When the bill comes it will be monumental.” - The Guardian
"An employee facing this decision would be well-advised not to sign anything unless and until they have received personalized advice about their situation and feel completely prepared to assume any risks associated with this proposal." -Just Security
"Firing someone who was unable or unwilling to respond would be found to be a disproportionate punishment by a labor arbitrator. A letter of reprimand or a suspension would likely be found by an arbitrator to be proportionate." -Newsweek
“There's clearly a plan to dramatically reduce the federal workforce at breakneck speed. You know, this is something that's been made very explicit in White House fact sheets, where you have the president saying he is committed to reducing the size and scope of the federal government.”
-Just Security Podcast
"OPM seems to be running an end route around that chain of command and directly dealing with employees. This is a violation of collective bargaining laws, unfair labor practice laws." - NPR Morning Edition
"Being a probationary employee can be stressful, but understanding your rights is the first step toward protecting yourself. While you don’t have all the protections of a full-time federal employee, certain laws still apply. If in doubt, seeking legal advice or union representation can help ensure you’re treated fairly." -Just Security
“We really want to have a judge step in and say, federal government, what you’re doing is not right,” said Suzanne Summerlin, an employment attorney that represents federal workers. “But instead we have to be channeled through this longer process.” -Bloomberg Law
