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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 Maps Out Special Salary Rate for 2026 Law-Enforcement Raise

OPM said it will use its special salary rate authority to deliver a larger 2026 raise for selected federal law-enforcement jobs, while most other General Schedule employees are slated for 1% with no locality increase. The agency will consult DHS, DOJ, and Interior to decide which positions qualify and will publish the tables alongside the 2026 GS pay tables in December. OPM’s FAQ lists initial categories being considered (e.g., Border Patrol, ICE criminal investigators, FBI and DEA agents, Secret Service, Federal Protective Service, Bureau of Prisons correctional officers, and U.S. Park Police). Details like series coverage and caps are still being finalized. Federal News Network

Legal Insight: 

A special salary rate (SSR) is part of basic pay and interacts with overtime and premium pay. Do not assume you’re covered—wait for your series/position to appear on the final list. If you change jobs, series, or duty station this fall, keep your SF-50s and written HR guidance; eligibility often depends on those details. Supervisors should avoid promising pay outcomes until OPM posts the official tables.

2. VA Sets Department-Wide Staffing Caps and Orders Deletion of “Excess Positions”

An internal memo directs VA to establish a workforce baseline effective October 1, require each component to set caps under that ceiling, and remove “excess positions” from VA’s HR Smart system by the end of September. Officials said the first cuts are expected to focus on vacant roles as VA pursues its plan to trim staffing largely through attrition and incentives. New positions above a cap will need special, written approvals tied to mission or law. VA currently has about 461,000 employees and over 40,000 vacancies. Government Executive

Legal Insight:  

Deleting a vacant position isn’t the same as a RIF for a filled job. If your filled job is targeted, you must get written RIF notice and full rights (retention standing, assignment rights, appeal routes). Save your SF-50s, performance ratings, and any notices or emails; those records are key if you need to challenge a move. Ask HR—in writing—whether any change affects your pay, title, or duty station.

3. GAO Flags FEMA’s Dwindling Disaster Workforce Heading Into Peak Season

A GAO review says FEMA’s active workforce fell from about 25,800 to 23,350 between Jan. 1 and June 1, 2025, including 1,465 departures via a separation program. GAO warns shortages have forced widespread reassignments and sent staff into roles without enough training, risking slower aid to survivors if another heavy hurricane stretch hits. NOAA forecasts an above-normal season, increasing pressure on a smaller team. The House advanced a bipartisan bill to overhaul FEMA, but GAO notes no concrete structural changes are in place yet. Government Executive

Legal Insight:

If you’re detailed for disaster work, get your orders in writing (tour length, overtime/LEAP, travel, safety training). Keep copies of timesheets, lodging approvals, and any waiver memos—those documents protect your pay and benefits. If you’re reassigned outside your training, ask for just-in-time training and written direction. Managers should document staffing choices and training plans to answer later audits.

Mindful Moment of the Day: 

Micro-Nature Break   

If you can’t step outside, look at a tree, a plant, or even a picture of nature for one minute. Track its colors or patterns with curiosity. Research in environmental psychology shows that even small doses of ‘soft fascination’—like a view of nature—reduces fatigue and restores attention. You do not need a forest; just 60 seconds and an open mind.