Working for the District of Columbia government is different from working for a federal agency or a private company. District employees are covered by the Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act (CMPA), the law that sets hiring, discipline, and appeal rules for most D.C. government workers. Most discipline goes to the D.C. Office of Employee Appeals instead of the federal Merit Systems Protection Board, and many employees also have a union contract. Mundaca Law and the other firms below are options for District workers facing discipline, discrimination, or retaliation. This guide also covers the deadlines worth knowing before a first consultation.
Which lawyers should D.C. government employees consider?
- Mundaca Law
- Alan Lescht & Associates, P.C.
- Swick & Shapiro, P.C.
- The Law Firm of John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorneys at Law, PLLC
- Cantrell Schuette
How is a D.C. government employment case different from a federal one?
District employees have their own appeal body, their own deadlines, and job categories that decide whether they can appeal at all. The rules that apply to federal workers, or to someone at a private company in the District, often don’t carry over.
The Office of Employee Appeals (OEA) is the independent D.C. agency that hears appeals of certain personnel actions. Career Service employees who have completed probation can generally appeal a removal, a reduction in grade, or a suspension of 10 days or more. Under OEA’s rules, the petition for appeal is typically due within 30 calendar days of the action’s effective date. That window is short, and missing it can end a case before it starts.
Job classification matters too. Employees in the Management Supervisory Service (MSS) generally serve at will and have limited appeal rights. Probationary employees usually cannot bring a termination to OEA. Union members covered by a collective bargaining agreement often have to choose between an OEA appeal and the negotiated grievance process, and the choice can be hard to undo.
Discrimination claims follow a separate path. Under the D.C. Human Rights Act, a District government employee generally must contact their agency’s EEO counselor within 180 days of the discriminatory act, according to the D.C. Office of Human Rights. The D.C. Whistleblower Protection Act allows a lawsuit within three years of the retaliation or one year after the employee learns of it, whichever comes first.
The Firms
1. Mundaca Law
Mundaca Law is a DMV firm focused on employment law, federal employee law, and business law, led by Francisco E. Mundaca, Esq., Founding Partner. For D.C. government employees, that background covers the mix of personnel rules, civil rights statutes, and workplace policies that shape most District employment disputes.
The firm can help an employee figure out which forum fits their situation before any deadline runs. That might mean an OEA appeal, a union grievance, an EEO complaint, or a civil claim. The choice affects the timeline, the evidence the employee can use, and what remedies are available, so getting it right early matters.
Mundaca Law can also assist with:
- Written and oral responses to a proposed suspension, demotion, or removal
- Discrimination and harassment claims under the D.C. Human Rights Act and federal law
- Retaliation and whistleblower concerns, including reports of waste, fraud, or safety violations
- Leave disputes under the D.C. Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides up to 16 weeks of family leave and 16 weeks of medical leave in a 24-month period
- Separation agreements and negotiated resignations
Clients who work for the District as well as a federal agency, or who run a side business, can bring those related questions to the same firm.
2. Alan Lescht & Associates, P.C.
Alan Lescht & Associates is a Washington, D.C. law firm that represents employees in workplace disputes. District government workers comparing their options may want to include it in their research.
3. Swick & Shapiro, P.C.
Swick & Shapiro is a D.C.-based firm whose practice includes employment matters. Employees researching counsel in the District are likely to come across the firm.
4. The Law Firm of John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorneys at Law, PLLC
The Law Firm of John P. Mahoney is based in Washington, D.C., and handles employment-related matters for government workers. It is another firm public employees can consider as they compare their choices.
5. Cantrell Schuette
Cantrell Schuette is another option for public-sector employees who want to talk with more than one firm before deciding how to move forward.
How should you choose between Mundaca Law and other D.C. employment lawyers?
The right lawyer is the one who understands the specific process your case will follow and can act before your deadline. Before a consultation, gather the notice of proposed action, the final agency decision, your recent performance evaluations, and your union contract if you have one. At the meeting, ask whether the attorney has handled OEA appeals, grievance arbitrations, or D.C. Human Rights Act claims, and how they would approach your timeline. If you’ve received a final decision, the 30-day appeal clock may already be running, so schedule a consultation this week rather than waiting to see how things develop.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.