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Top Three News Stories:

1. NOAA Signals 17 Percent Workforce Reduction for FY 2026

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s newly released fiscal-2026 congressional justification, dated June 30, lays out a plan to shrink its payroll from about 12,000 to 10,000 full-time employees—a 17 percent cut—while eliminating Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and transferring some Endangered Species Act duties to Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service. The document follows February terminations of roughly 800 probationary staff who were briefly reinstated, then fired again; a class-action suit filed June 30 alleges NOAA relied on inaccurate performance data in those actions. The agency says a leaner structure and $1.8 billion budget reduction will “refocus on core operational needs” such as navigation data and weather forecasting. Federal News Network

Legal Insight:  

Large-scale reductions trigger the RIF procedures in 5 C.F.R. Part 351, requiring competitive-area definitions, retention registers, and advance notices; failure to follow them could supply grounds for MSPB appeals even for employees outside conventional RIFs. Probationary employees generally lack full appeal rights, but the pending lawsuit argues their removals violated the Privacy Act by using erroneous records—an avenue that, if successful, could extend to thousands more terminations.

2. House Bill Would Require Senior Feds to Pass Annual Appropriations-Law Training

Introduced June 30 by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the Appropriations Compliance and Training Act (H.R. 4230) mandates that all federal employees at GS-11 or above complete certified instruction on the Antideficiency Act, the Impoundment Control Act, and related fiscal statutes each year. Agency heads must report completions to OMB; officials who miss the 45-day window would be barred from financial decision-making, lose performance bonuses, and eventually lose network access until compliance. Kaptur framed the measure as a response to recent “pocket rescission” threats and other executive-branch moves to withhold congressionally directed funds. Government Executive

Legal Insight:

If passed, suspension from IT systems could implicate due-process rights if it effectively places employees in nonduty status without pay; agencies would need to provide notice and an opportunity to respond. Mandated reporting to OMB tightens oversight of Antideficiency Act violations, potentially increasing referrals to the Justice Department for willful infractions. Contractors who provide fiscal services may, if this is passed, see new clause requirements ensuring that embedded federal staff meet the training threshold.

3. Court Again Blocks Executive Order Stripping Union Rights

Last week, U.S. District Judge James Donato issued a 29-page preliminary injunction, publicized June 30, that halts enforcement of President Trump’s March executive order eliminating collective-bargaining rights for roughly two-thirds of federal employees. Finding “persuasive evidence” of First Amendment retaliation, the court rejected Justice Department arguments that the dispute should go to the Federal Labor Relations Authority and emphasized that national-security claims do not automatically override constitutional protections. Agencies had already begun canceling dues deductions and walking away from grievance procedures; the injunction restores the status quo while litigation proceeds. Government Executive

Legal Insight:

The order re-establishes statutory labor rights under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71, requiring agencies to honor existing contracts and resume bargaining or face contempt. Because the ruling hinges on retaliatory motive, any renewed attempt to curtail union activity must survive strict scrutiny of intent; discovery could expose internal communications, so agencies should preserve records. Employees disciplined during the EO’s brief life span may file ULP charges arguing that any adverse actions were tainted by an unlawful policy if otherwise appropriate. The injunction also limits management’s ability to declare whole agencies “national-security” entities exempt from bargaining without detailed factual support, a precedent likely to influence future FLRA and appellate review.

Mindful Moment of the Day: 

“Walk-the-Block” Microbreaks     

Your fifteen-minute union break is legally protected—turn it into a moving meditation that also protects your eyesight and mood. Step outside, silence your phone, and keep attention glued to the pure mechanics of walking: heel strike, roll, toe-off, the breeze around the ears. Research from the Office of Personnel Management’s wellness initiative shows that a short, mindful loop around the building restores prefrontal blood flow, undoing the cognitive drain of nonstop screen work by nearly thirty percent. When you return to your cube or telework setup, the spreadsheet columns feel sharper, and the next stakeholder call lands on a calmer, more present mind. Over time, these microbreaks compound like TSP contributions—small deposits that yield huge dividends in focus and resilience.