Brought to you by Southworth PC—Attorneys for Federal Employees

Our online community now tops 150,000 federal workers and supporters across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Each briefing distills the day’s most consequential developments, adds clear-eyed legal analysis, and pairs it with mindfulness tools that keep you steady no matter how turbulent the news cycle becomes. If this newsletter helps you stay informed, please pass it on: https://fedlegalhelp.com/newsletter. Your advocacy broadens the protective circle for every federal employee.

Top Three News Stories:

1. Federal Judge Blocks HHS Downsizing and Mass Layoffs

U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose issued a preliminary injunction on July 1 halting Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to cut more than 10,000 positions and consolidate 28 HHS agencies into 15. The court found the reorganization “arbitrary and capricious,” likely contrary to law, and an overreach of executive authority, ordering the administration to stop all further separations and to file a status report by July 11. The ruling protects employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, the Office of Head Start, and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, many of whom had already received termination notices. Federal News Network

Legal Insight:  

The injunction signals that states are likely to prevail on Administrative Procedure Act claims and revives separation-of-powers limits that require Congress—not the White House—to restructure executive departments under 5 U.S.C. §§ 901-912. Agencies must now treat affected employees as continuing on the rolls; failure to restore pay and benefits could trigger back-pay liability under the Back Pay Act.. States’ successful showing of “irreparable harm” underscores that grant-dependent programs can create standing to challenge federal workforce cuts, a factor other litigants may use against future downsizing efforts.

2. Senate Passes H.R. 1 Without Pension or Union Roll-Backs

After an all-night vote-a-rama, the Senate approved the reconciliation package known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” on July 1 in a 50-50 vote decided by Vice-President J.D. Vance. The final manager’s amendment scrubbed every provision that would have raised Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) contributions, switched to a high-five pension formula, eliminated the FERS annuity supplement, imposed fees on Merit Systems Protection Board appeals, or limited official union time. The only workforce language that survived instructs OPM to audit ineligible dependents on the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) rolls. The measure now returns to the House, where leadership must choose between accepting the Senate text or reopening negotiations. Federal News Network

Legal Insight:

Because the bill moved under budget-reconciliation rules, hostile amendments can still resurface during a House-Senate conference, so agencies should keep contingency payroll models ready for any mid-year FERS rate changes. The FEHB audit mandate will require new data-sharing memoranda that satisfy the Privacy Act and HIPAA, and unions may demand bargaining over inspection procedures and employee counseling under 5 U.S.C. § 7106(b)(2)–(3). Parliamentarian enforcement of the Byrd Rule provides a cautionary precedent: loosely related workforce riders are vulnerable in future reconciliation bills. For employees eyeing retirement, the near-term threat to pension formulas has receded, but we recommend continued monitoring until the bill is signed.

3. OPM Publishes Workforce Snapshot and Promises Modernized FedScope Portal

The Office of Personnel Management released its March 2025 employment data on July 1, showing 2.289 million non-postal, non-military federal employees—a net drop of about 23,000 since last September—as hiring slowed after a government-wide freeze. In the same announcement OPM said it will unveil a redesigned FedScope this fall featuring interactive visuals and faster data refreshes, after criticism that the current site had removed race-and-ethnicity filters and lagged in updates. The agency framed the modernization as a step toward “disciplined and accountable” workforce management, while unions warned that greater transparency could also spotlight disproportionate cuts in certain missions and demographics. Federal News Network

Legal Insight:

A rebuilt FedScope—with richer demographic fields and near-real-time updates—will arm plaintiffs in disparate-impact and EEO cases, so agencies should audit their diversity and age profiles now. OPM must complete privacy-impact assessments and comply with the E-Government Act before launch, particularly if re-introducing sensitive demographic data. Negotiators should expect unions to cite the new metrics in bargaining over staffing levels, telework caps, and mission realignments, and counsel can leverage the data to show—or rebut—claims of targeted cuts.

Mindful Moment of the Day: 

90-Second Reset       

Before diving into your first email of the day, try a 90-second reset. Sit upright in your chair, let your shoulders soften, and take slow, intentional breaths. Focus on the cool air as it enters your nose, and the warmth as it exits. This short pause isn’t just about calm—it engages your parasympathetic nervous system, reducing cortisol and improving focus. It's a small act with big returns, preparing your mind for a more thoughtful, centered workday.