These words used to signify breaking news that was urgent and significant. Now, up to the minute news is available around the clock and almost all news segments and stories are sensationalized. Fake news? Real news? It doesn’t matter – ratings do. News today is all about reporting on current events in a shocking, scandalous or appalling manner to increase or hold viewer or readership. And unfortunately, for today’s Feds, if there is a newsworthy event involving a federal employee or agency, it’s also a crisis, scandal or controversy.
Why do I need professional liability insurance? This is a question asked over and over again by federal employees. The answer varies depending on the type of job you have, the position you hold, and your employing agency. For example, if you tuned into any news the past few weeks, you would have certainly seen your State Department brothers and sisters being called to testify in the impeachment hearings. One day, they are going about their jobs routinely and the next, they are hiring attorneys and preparing to provide testimony before Congress. The reasons they need PLI has been made abundantly clear to them in the wake of these hearings, but their reasons may be different than yours. Take some time to find out what your vulnerabilities are – it’s important – ask your professional association, talk with your coworker or supervisor, make an appointment with your financial advisor, or call FEDS Protection.
If a program, policy, process, or event involving you or your agency is the next to come under scrutiny by the public, media or a politician, you will certainly understand how this era of 24-hour news cycles, political polarization, and social media propaganda makes your professional liability exposure substantially more prevalent than in the past. You need to have coverage in place before an incident occurs, or you will not be covered by the policy. The President of FEDS Protection was a federal employee prior to founding FEDS. He recognizes the seriousness of federal allegations; understands the adversarial, often confrontational and sometimes high-profile nature of these allegations; and he knows your vulnerabilities, your exposures, and how the life of a civil servant can be turned upside down in an instant without protection in place.
Here is some Extra! Extra! this month on Foreign Service Officer exposure, FEDS Protection being chosen as the new GEBA PLI provider, and some examples on why Feds need PLI: