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Top Three News Stories:

1. White House Extends the Federal Hiring Freeze Through July

The White House confirmed President Trump will sign an executive order stretching the government‑wide hiring freeze for another three months. The pause, first imposed on January 20, was set to expire next week but now runs until at least July 31. It coincides with a second wave of agency downsizing orchestrated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): more than 260,000 employees have already accepted buyouts, early retirements, or been targeted for layoff, including 22,000 at the IRS in just the last two weeks. While most departing workers will remain on the payroll until September 30, agencies may not backfill their positions, raising service‑delivery concerns. One curious exception noted in the memo: an HR office hired a dedicated driver for its leadership team despite the freeze. Reuters

Legal Insight: 

Extending the blanket freeze without individualized workforce analyses risks violating the Antideficiency Act and the Civil Service Reform Act’s merit‑system principles, which require staffing decisions to be tied to mission needs, not blanket edicts. Agencies that let mission‑critical vacancies linger could face GAO findings of “impeding congressional intent.” Career employees left performing the work of eliminated positions should document increased duties; that record can support future classification upgrades or overtime claims under 5 U.S.C. § 5542.

2. CFPB Moves to Lay Off 90 Percent of Remaining Staff

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced plans to cut its workforce from about 1,700 to 200 employees after a federal court ruling granted the administration broad discretion over staffing levels. Key enforcement and supervision divisions will be gutted, prompting consumer advocates and the CFPB employees’ union to file an emergency motion alleging the action violates court‑ordered assessment requirements. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who helped create the CFPB, condemned the layoffs as a “direct threat to consumer protection.” A new director has been nominated, suggesting the agency will limp along in a drastically shrunken form. Reuters

Legal Insight:

Because the Dodd‑Frank Act designates the CFPB director as removable only for cause, mass terminations that effectively nullify statutory mandates may amount to a de facto abolition of the bureau—something only Congress can do. Litigants are likely to argue that eliminating enforcement staff breaches the Administrative Procedure Act’s “reasoned decision‑making” requirement and violates 12 U.S.C. § 5493, which obligates the CFPB to “ensure consumers are protected from unfair practices.” Employees placed on administrative leave without proper reduction‑in‑force procedures retain MSPB appeal rights and may seek corrective action for prohibited personnel practices under 5 U.S.C. § 2302.

3. Trump Escalates Feud With the Federal Reserve, Floats Ousting Chair Powell

President Trump publicly accused Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell of “playing politics” by holding interest rates steady and hinted that Powell’s “termination can’t come fast enough.” Behind the scenes, the White House has reportedly explored replacing Powell with former Fed governor Kevin Warsh. Powell has indicated he would resist any unlawful removal, citing the Fed chair’s four‑year statutory term that runs until 2026. The clash underscores growing tension over White House attempts to exert control over independent agencies. Bloomberg

Legal Insight:

Mindful Moment of the Day: