Charisse L. Newson v. Department of Labor

**Federal Worker's Appeal Dismissed Due to Employment Status** Charisse Newson worked for the Department of Labor and was terminated from her position. She believed her firing was discriminatory and wrongful, so she appealed to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which handles disputes involving federal employees. The MSPB dismissed Newson's case without examining her discrimination and wrongful termination claims. The board ruled that it didn't have the authority to hear her appeal because she didn't qualify as an "employee" under federal law who could challenge her termination. Newson worked in what's called an "excepted service" position, which is a special category of federal employment that doesn't receive the same appeal protections as regular federal workers. This case highlights an important limitation for certain federal workers. Not all government employees have the same rights to appeal their termination through the MSPB. Workers in excepted service positions - which include some temporary, emergency, or specialized roles - may have fewer protections when challenging their dismissal. Federal workers should understand what type of position they hold and what appeal rights come with their specific employment category, as this affects their ability to contest workplace decisions.