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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 Courts Block Trump Administration’s Cuts to Education and Library Funding
On May 7, 2025, two U.S. District Courts issued preliminary injunctions halting the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal funding for education, libraries, and public services. The courts blocked attempts to dismantle agencies like the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Minority Business Development Agency, as well as efforts to end pandemic-related education funds prematurely. These injunctions ensure continued support for libraries, schools, and minority-owned businesses while litigation continues. Midland Daily News
Legal Insight:
The injunctions underscore the judiciary’s role in checking executive actions that may overstep legal boundaries. Federal employees should recognize that changes to agency funding and structure must comply with statutory mandates. Employees affected by such proposed cuts may have legal avenues to challenge abrupt changes, especially if they contravene established laws or procedures. It’s advisable for employees to stay informed about legal developments and consult with legal counsel when facing potential impacts from administrative actions.
2. Federal Reserve Maintains Interest Rates Amid Stagflation Concerns
The Federal Reserve announced on May 7, 2025, that it would keep interest rates unchanged at 4.25%–4.5%, despite pressure from President Trump to reduce them. Chair Jerome Powell cited risks of stagflation—rising inflation coupled with slowed economic growth and higher unemployment—as a primary concern. The decision reflects the Fed’s commitment to its dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. NY Post
Legal Insight:
The Federal Reserve’s independence is a cornerstone of its ability to manage monetary policy effectively. Federal employees should understand that, while the executive branch can express policy preferences, the Fed operates independently to fulfill its statutory mandates. This separation ensures that monetary policy decisions are made based on economic indicators rather than political pressures. Employees should be aware of how such economic decisions may impact federal budgeting, agency funding, and, consequently, employment and operations within federal agencies.
3. REAL ID Enforcement Begins for Domestic Travel and Federal Facility Access
As of May 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has begun enforcing the REAL ID Act, requiring individuals to present a REAL ID-compliant identification to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. REAL IDs are marked with a star in the upper right corner and are issued by state DMVs after verifying the individual’s identity, residency, and legal status. Alternative forms of acceptable identification include U.S. passports and military IDs. People
Legal Insight:
Federal employees must ensure they possess a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative to access federal facilities and for official travel. Failure to comply with the REAL ID requirements could impede an employee’s ability to perform job duties that involve travel or access to secure federal buildings. Agencies may need to provide guidance and assistance to employees in obtaining compliant identification to maintain operational efficiency and compliance with federal regulations.
Mindful Moment of the Day:
Desk-Chair Body Scan
Mid-shift fatigue often masquerades as impatience with colleagues or policy chaos. Instead of reaching for caffeine, close your eyes for two deep breaths and mentally sweep from crown to soles, noticing any area that feels numb or over-charged. Rest your attention there for a single exhale as though shining a soft desk lamp on it; the nervous system reads that spotlight as permission to release. Many find that a 90-second scan re-boots clarity more reliably than an extra shot of espresso, and doing it at your workstation normalizes embodied awareness in a culture that often privileges intellect alone.
Legal Tip of the Day:
Guard-Rail Your Accommodation Request
If a medical condition is affecting your work, invoke the “interactive process” by emailing both your supervisor and the agency disability program manager, attaching the doctor’s note that links essential job functions to requested changes. Stamping the request with today’s date starts a paper trail the agency must answer, and it prevents managers from arguing that they “never knew” about your needs when performance metrics later slip. Keep every response in a personal folder; in litigation, those threads often transform a disputed failure-to-accommodate claim into a settlement with back pay and restored leave.
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In Case You Missed It:
Today on the blog we unpack:
The Quiet Dismantling of Social Security: What Americans Need to Know
VA Workforce Cuts: 80,000 Jobs or More at Risk
How Elon Musk’s Doge Agenda Is Disrupting Social Security
Court Blocks Shutdown of Three Federal Agencies
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