• Debra D'Agostino, a DC lawyer, has represented federal employees for over 20 years.
• She said federal workers should comply with RTO mandates, DEIA rollbacks, and hiring freezes.
• She also shared three ways for federal workers to challenge the executive orders while on the job.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Debra D'Agostino, a 48-year-old attorney from Washington DC who represents federal employees. It's been edited for length and clarity.

As a founding partner of the Federal Practice Group in Washington DC, I've represented federal employees for over 20 years.

Since President Donald Trump's first batch of executive orders, I've observed an incredible sense of fear among government employees about whether they'll be reclassified or have their rights stripped away. Regardless, I hope all federal employees use their resources and see quitting as a last resort.

Here's what every federal government worker should know as more executive orders are rolled out and what I predict may happen next.

RTO mandates will include most federal employees, but there are exemptions

The United States Office of Personal Management (OPM) issued guidance that targets both remote and teleworkers in the return-to-office mandates.

Remote workers are people who live outside of the commuting area, and teleworkers are folks who are based in the commuting area but still work from home.

Those exempted from the return-to-office mandates are people with reasonable accommodations or people with a qualifying disability. Those with a qualifying disability are presumably disabled people who had been working from home but never needed to formalize it into reasonable accommodation until now.

There's also an exemption for those with a "compelling reason." We don't know exactly what that covers yet, but agencies will certainly have some discretion over what that means. The most recent guidance referenced an exemption for military spouses.

Federal DEIA workers might be assigned to new roles with some similar tasks

Employees working in DEIA groups were placed on paid administrative leave. Also, "reduction in force" notices, which are essentially 60-day layoff notices, were issued to some folks.

The reduction in force process is governed by very complex regulations, so we'll have to see how much the Trump administration cares to abide by those regulations.

So far, they haven't been terribly concerned with complying. What's murky is that some of the DEIA employees are reasonable accommodation coordinators, a function that still needs to be performed. I predict some folks will be reassigned to different roles but still tasked with performing that function.

The hiring freeze is messier than it should be and might last for a while

The OPM guidance says that any federal government job offer signed after January 20 at noon is invalid, and those positions will remain vacant.

I've heard from folks who say they thought they secured a federal agency job months ago but still got their offers rescinded. This may be because, a lot of times, the government issues tentative job offers months before making firm offers.

I always advise people not to give notice to their current employer until they have signed the firm final offer. I predict the hiring freeze may continue for a while.

It's best to comply now and complain later

Unless ordered to do something unsafe, my golden rule for federal employees is "comply now, complain later." Even if you think you're being ordered to do something that violates agency policy or goes against your belief system, there may be consequences for failing to comply.

For example, if you refuse a reassignment, the government may just fire you. If you're fired, it's incredibly difficult to get rehired or file a complaint. You'll be fighting an uphill battle.

Being employed by the government is what gives you leverage to challenge an order you don't agree with.

I'd recommend that the same employee take the reassignment and then file a grievance, Equal Opportunity complaint, or Merit Systems Protection Board appeal, depending on the situation. There are several avenues to complain through, and because those resources were set up by federal law, they're not going anywhere.

If you're a federal employee whose job has been impacted by the Trump administration's executive orders and would like to share your story, please email [email protected].

• We asked professional cleaners about red flags they'd look for when hiring someone to clean a home.
• Suspiciously low cleaning prices might draw you in, but you could get hit with surprise fees later.
• If cleaners don't offer walkthroughs after a service, they may not stand behind their work.

Many people hire professional house cleaners to help keep their homes looking good on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis.

When trying to decide who to bring into your home, reading online reviews is a good place to start. Still, there are a few other things you may want to look for when hiring a cleaning service.

So, Business Insider asked professional cleaners about the red flags they would look for when hiring someone. Here's what they said.

There's no satisfaction guarantee

Always look for cleaners or cleaning companies that stand behind their work by offering some kind of satisfaction guarantee, said Robin Murphy, founder of ChirpChirp House Cleaning.

It's a good sign when cleaning companies offer to come back or redo a service if customers are not satisfied.

However, Murphy said she'd look for stronger guarantees, such as refunds or no-charge reworks, as these claims can demonstrate a company's confidence and commitment to its cleaning standards.

Prices feel suspiciously low

When looking for a cleaning service, it's wise to research average prices in your local area to learn what to expect. If you find a company offering a low price that seems too good to be true, it probably is, Murphy said.

She told BI that some companies price their services low on purpose to lure in customers only to later hit them with hidden fees and "impose additional charges."

When in doubt, ask what is included in the price of a clean and what costs extra — and always read the fine print of a contract.

Tools — especially the cleaning rags — appear unclean

Rhonda Wilson, lead cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning, told BI that people should pay attention to cleaners' rags and tools.

"If your cleaner brings in old, worn-out rags and dirty equipment, that is a big red flag," Wilson said. "In our profession, we're expected to have batches of clean, absorbent microfiber cloths and clean our tools every after a cleaning appointment."

Wilson added that dirty supplies can spread grime around surfaces rather than cleaning them or even cause cross-contamination.

The cleaner doesn't ask for or ignores instructions

When people hire cleaners, it's not uncommon to provide them with instructions about what they're looking for or which items in the home to be careful with or avoid.

So, Wilson said, it's a huge red flag if a cleaner doesn't ask for preferences or ignores your instructions.

"A good cleaner should be a good listener and follower. If they're willing to tweak their methods and products based on your feedback, then you found a great one," she told BI.

They don't offer to do a walkthrough after a service

It's a sign of good service when cleaners offer to conduct walkthroughs, and may even be a bit of a red flag if they refuse to do so.

Wilson said these final walkthroughs can show professionalism and help ensure clients are satisfied with their service.

"During a final walkthrough, the homeowner has a chance to provide immediate feedback, which helps us address any issues immediately and improve our service for the future," she said.

The company has a high turnover rate

Murphy said booking a professional cleaning company with a high turnover rate could lead to inconsistent services. Plus, the rate may signify bigger internal issues with the business.

"A high turnover rate can indicate poor management, lack of training, or job satisfaction among employees, leading to poor quality and inconsistent cleaning services," Murphy said.

"When housecleaners don't feel valued or well-equipped to do their jobs, it can reflect in the quality of service performed," she added.