Labor Lawyer Richard Poulson Cautions Workers Mulling Public vs. Private Sector

Some public service employees may be looking to transition to the private sector as the Trump administration aims to reduce the federal workforce. Motivated by a recent buyout offer and philosophical differences with the new leadership, some federal employees are turning to outplacement services to navigate career changes.

Willig, Williams & Davidson partner Richard G. Poulson discussed important considerations for these workers in an article that appears in Business Insider and MSN. He noted that public-sector workers should be careful when moving from a regulatory role to a private-sector role in the same field or with the same clients. “There may be restrictions in effect there. People need to make sure that they’ve got their eyes wide open before they make those decisions,” Poulson said.

Poulson also said that accelerated growth in the private sector may result in government agencies struggling to attract workers. He advised federal workers to remember that power shifts occur regularly in a career of public service and to focus on the importance of the work they do. “That tends to weigh more than the changes in administration that happen every few years,” Poulson said. Read the full article online: Government workers who want a private sector role may have to tap the ‘hidden job market’