Once you have lost your job to First Amendment retaliation, it is your responsibility to pursue new employment. This is a “good faith” effort to decrease the wages you have lost because your former employer caused you to lose your job. As a public employee that got discharged due to First Amendment retaliation, you are obligated to:
If you reasonably sought alternate employment, you will not be refused damages for lost wages because your actions were unsuccessful—even if your efforts could have been accomplished more effectively.