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Top Three News Stories:

1. White House Pushes Supreme Court to Halt Federal Worker Reinstatements

The Biden-appointed judiciary and Trump administration continue to clash over the forced rehiring of 16,000 probationary federal employees. On Monday, the White House filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme Court to block enforcement of a lower court order that had required reinstating workers across six Cabinet departments. The administration argues that the judiciary is overstepping its constitutional role by interfering with the president’s authority to control executive-branch personnel decisions. Lower courts had ruled the terminations unlawful for failing to follow required performance evaluations and due process protections—even for probationary staff. This case is now positioned to become a landmark test of executive power over the civil service. Reuters

Legal Insight: 

The case raises critical questions about the scope of executive discretion in personnel management. While probationary employees do not enjoy the same full procedural rights as tenured employees, they are still protected from mass terminations that bypass individualized performance assessments and violate internal agency guidelines. The courts’ position reflects longstanding legal principles: even expedited removals must be anchored in lawful cause and fair process. If the Supreme Court upholds the reinstatement order, it will reinforce judicial oversight as a safeguard against politically motivated or procedurally defective terminations—potentially reshaping future administration strategies on federal downsizing.

 2. Union Sues to Block Trump Executive Order Stripping Collective Bargaining Rights

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has filed suit in federal court to stop the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order that would end collective bargaining for tens of thousands of federal workers. The order, issued earlier this month, exempts national security-related agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense from their statutory duty to negotiate with unions. AFGE alleges the move is unconstitutional and retaliatory—part of a broader pattern of anti-union actions stemming from the administration’s frustrations with prior legal pushback from organized labor. The lawsuit marks one of the most aggressive legal challenges to executive authority over federal labor relations in decades. Reuters

Legal Insight:

The Trump executive order collides directly with provisions of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (5 U.S.C. Chapter 71), which protects the rights of employees to form, join, and be represented by unions. Courts have historically ruled that while the president has broad authority over national security, that power is not unlimited—particularly when it targets workers’ collective rights without compelling justification. If AFGE can show that the executive order constitutes viewpoint discrimination or retaliation against protected activity, it may succeed in getting the order enjoined. This lawsuit will also test whether the president can redefine agency functions to evade collective bargaining obligations unilaterally.

3. DOGE Granted Access to Federal Payroll System Despite Internal Objections

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has quietly gained access to the Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS), a vast HR database that holds records for over 270,000 federal employees. Senior officials at the Department of the Interior reportedly objected to the move, warning that DOGE’s personnel lacked proper clearances, training, or justification for accessing sensitive data such as Social Security numbers and salary histories. Despite these concerns, two career IT officials who pushed back were placed on administrative leave, triggering further alarm about whistleblower retaliation. This latest action adds to growing scrutiny over DOGE’s expanding role in federal operations. The Guardian

Mindful Moment of the Day: