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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. Over 30,000 Feds Facing Possible FEHB Premium Spike Next Year

Federal News Network reports that about 32,000 FEHB enrollees are in plans that will leave the program for 2026, most of them in National Association of Letter Carriers plans. Instead of the usual default into the lowest‑cost nationwide plan, OPM is exercising its authority to auto‑enroll affected enrollees into GEHA High, which in many cases carries dramatically higher premiums. For some families, doing nothing could mean premium jumps of 85%–260% next year compared with what they pay now. Open Season runs from November 10 through December 8, 2025, and enrollees can pick any eligible plan instead of the default. For federal employees, this means if your FEHB plan is being discontinued and you don’t actively choose a new plan during Open Season, you could get auto‑enrolled into a much more expensive option and see a major paycheck hit. Federal News Network

Legal Insight:

Review your FEHB enrollment and confirm whether your current plan is leaving the program for 2026; if it is, treat the Open Season deadline as hard and put a reminder on your calendar. Log into your agency or OPM portal and download screenshots or PDFs of your current plan and your new election for your records. If a big premium spike creates financial hardship, consider whether a cheaper plan still meets your health needs and check provider networks and drug coverage carefully before switching. If you believe you were auto‑enrolled incorrectly or the agency mishandled your election, challenge it promptly in writing and keep copies; short deadlines can apply, and it can be helpful to talk with an attorney or your union if a lot of money is at stake.

2. Postal Service Leadership Brushes Off Calls to Pause Modernization Plan, as Financial Losses Continue

Government Executive reports that USPS posted a $9 billion net loss in FY 2025, with its “Delivering for America” overhaul still in full swing under new Postmaster General David Steiner. Despite bipartisan pressure from lawmakers and mail stakeholders to pause logistics changes that slow some mail and shift transportation, Steiner said he does not see the need for a fundamental reassessment of the plan. Leadership is instead leaning on Congress and the administration to ease financial constraints, including retiree funding rules, investment limits, and borrowing caps, while stakeholders argue the current strategy is hurting performance without fixing the finances. Board members also warned of upcoming vacancies that could leave USPS’s governing board shorthanded. For federal employees, this means postal workers and related staff should expect modernization efforts and operational changes to continue, with financial pressure driving both cost‑cutting and push for new revenue rather than a rollback of the overhaul. Government Executive

Legal Insight:

If you’re a postal employee, keep written notice of any changes to your schedule, route, duty station, or position description, especially where they tie to Delivering for America or related reforms. Track how new policies affect safety, workload, and service standards, and share specifics with your union or employee groups when they seek input. If you’re reassigned or see changes that feel like a constructive demotion or discipline, document dates, conversations, and any adverse impact on pay or benefits. Because larger reorganizations can lead to reductions‑in‑force or other actions, it’s wise to stay familiar with your contract, USPS policies, and to seek legal counsel if you get any notice that could affect your job status or rights.

3. Homeland Security Announces $10,000 Shutdown Bonuses for Some TSA Officers

In a piece by Federal News Network carried by Maryland Matters, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced $10,000 bonuses for TSA officers who showed “exemplary service” through the 43‑day shutdown, funded from DHS carryover money. DHS has not yet defined the eligibility criteria, leaving open questions about how it will count absences and what metrics will be used to judge “exceptional service.” The article notes that TSA employs roughly 50,000 officers, so a broad bonus program could carry a price tag of about $500 million. It also describes parallel conversations at FAA about similar bonuses for air traffic controllers, amid political blowback over controller and TSA sick‑outs during the shutdown. For federal employees, this means TSA and potentially FAA staff should expect new guidance on who qualifies for bonuses and how shutdown attendance and performance are being evaluated—and should read any such criteria carefully. Maryland Matters

Legal Insight:  

If you’re in TSA or another DHS component, wait for written agency guidance before assuming you qualify or making financial plans around a potential bonus. When the criteria come out, keep a copy and compare it to your time and attendance record; if there are discrepancies, raise them promptly in writing with your supervisor or HR. Be mindful that the same records used to award bonuses could also inform performance discussions or disciplinary reviews related to shutdown attendance, so keep your own documentation of hardships, approvals, and any schedule changes. If you believe the bonus program is being applied in a discriminatory or retaliatory way—or if discipline seems tied to protected activity—consider talking with your union and seeking counsel, because those claims often have very short filing deadlines.

Mindful Moment of the Day: 

Lunch-Hour Digital Sabbath 

Midday is when blood glucose and inbox volume both crash, tempting you to scroll headlines with one hand while fork-lifting salad with the other. Instead, close every screen, set a 15-minute timer, and treat lunch as a single-task meditation—notice textures, flavors, even ambient cafeteria sounds. Research from the Uniformed Services University shows that screen-free meals deliver a 38 % drop in post-lunch lethargy by allowing the vagus nerve to direct full resources to digestion and parasympathetic reset. You’ll walk back to the workstation with steadier glucose, sharper working memory, and a calmer tone for that 1 p.m. stakeholder call—proving productivity sometimes begins by powering down.