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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. OPM Pauses Costly Employee Relocation Plan, Rethinks Approach Under New Director

The Office of Personnel Management told staff it is pausing planned “management-directed reassignment” moves that would have relocated remote employees more than 50 miles from an OPM site. An internal memo cites a reassessment under Director Scott Kupor and explores lower-cost options with the General Services Administration; prior estimates put relocation at about $42 million for roughly 250 employees. The pause also removes a December 2025 target for a first relocation cohort and signals a broader review of exemptions and locality impacts. For federal employees, the practical takeaway is to keep working at your current duty station for now and watch for fresh instructions that could change duty location, locality pay, or exemption status. Federal News Network

Legal Insight: 

If you accepted or were ordered to an MDR, keep every notice and deadline; relocation orders can trigger entitlements (e.g., travel/household-goods) and, if withdrawn, may affect pay/locality. Ask HR in writing how any change affects your grade/step, locality, and report date; request updated SF-50s when applicable. If you decline a renewed relocation order, know your reply and appeal/grievance windows and consult your union or counsel before the deadline. Document costs you incurred in reliance on prior orders in case reimbursement is disputed later.

2. VA Ends Special Salary Rate for IT Workers; Pay Shifts to GS Locality With Retention Rules

The Department of Veterans Affairs will end its PACT Act–era special salary rate (SSR) for IT occupations on October 4, moving affected employees to standard General Schedule locality tables. VA says base pay will not drop; those whose SSR exceeds the new table will receive pay retention, while most will map to higher GS steps to maintain salary. Term and temporary employees are not eligible for retention. For employees, the immediate to-dos are to verify your new grade/step and whether your within-grade clock and locality change as the shift takes effect. Federal News Network

Legal Insight:  

Review your SF-50 and agency explainer to confirm your new rate, step, and any pay-retention status; flag discrepancies quickly. Ask HR how time-in-step toward your next WGI is treated after conversion. If you’re a term/temporary employee losing SSR without retention, request written pay calculations and consider whether classification or appointment corrections apply. Seek counsel promptly if the change results in an unexpected pay cut or appears inconsistent with statute or VA policy.

3. Parties Dig in on Short-Term Funding as ‘Terrible’ Shutdown Risk Rises

With days left before the October 1 deadline, Democrats oppose the House’s seven-week continuing resolution and Senate prospects remain uncertain. Leaders traded blame while acknowledging a lapse is increasingly likely absent bipartisan talks, and the article reviews how previous shutdowns ended with little gained. Agencies are finalizing contingency plans and preparing excepted/non-excepted designations. For federal employees, expect written notices on furlough or excepted status and clear instructions on timekeeping, travel, and telework if a lapse occurs. Government Executive

Legal Insight:

Do not work if furloughed unless you receive a written recall; excepted employees must follow timekeeping directions precisely. Back pay is guaranteed by statute after a lapse, but document missed pay and any benefit issues for later correction. Clarify training, travel, and telework rules with your supervisor in writing. Seek union or legal help immediately if you’re ordered to work without authorization, your status seems misclassified, or discipline is threatened over shutdown-related absences.

Mindful Moment of the Day: 

Badge-Out Breath

At the end of your shift, as you swipe your PIV card or log off, pause for a single breath: inhale to “done,” exhale to “home.” That exhale becomes a neurological signal marking the boundary between work and personal life. Over time, this ritual reduces the mental bleed-over of unresolved work tasks into your evenings. It’s a small act that protects long-term resilience.