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Nick Bednar

@nicholasbednar.bsky.social

20K followers 1.1K following 1.6K posts

Associate Professor of Law; Affiliated Professor of Political Science at U. of Minnesota. AdLaw, Admin. Capacity, and the Federal Workforce. Contributing Editor for Lawfare; Nonresident Fellow at Brookings. Signal: Nbednar.46 Opinions are my own; Not UMN.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · Aug 2

By request, I updated my website with a list of all the essays and podcasts I have done on the civil service. I'll keep it updated as I write and speak.

nbednar.com/civil-servic...

Civil Service

The federal government employs approximately 3 million individuals, making it the largest employer in the United States. Most of these employees enjoy tenure protections under the civil service law…

nbednar.com

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Reposted by Nick Bednar

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 19h

The number of U.S. federal worker layoffs as a result of the government shutdown was revised downward on Tuesday, suggesting the administration's initial statement about sweeping job cuts was too ambitious.

www.reuters.com/world/trump-...

Trump administration says 4,108 workers have been fired since shutdown began

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by Nick Bednar

Dan Walters @profdanwalters.bsky.social · 1d

We've long seen this kind of contingent partisan evaluation of other institutions, but as far as I know this is some of the first real evidence of it when it comes to administrative agencies. It makes sense: people could perhaps be forgiven for thinking that agencies just are the President.

Which agencies do Americans think are doing a good job?

Recent surveys have shown that how Republicans and Democrats view federal agencies has switched since Donald Trump became president again.

www.govexec.com

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Reposted by Nick Bednar

Heather Randell @heatherrandell.bsky.social · 1d

Economists! We’re hiring an assistant professor who focuses on domestic labor or public economics. The Humphrey School is wonderful and Minneapolis is the best city ever in my humble opinion.

More details here:
hr.myu.umn.edu/psc/hrprd/EM...

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Job Description
Assistant Professor
About the Job
The Humphrey School of Public Affairs seeks applications for a full-time, tenure track faculty position at the assistant professor or advanced assistant professor level in social policy with a field of specialization in the domestic (U.S.) applied policy areas of labor or public economics. The faculty member will join a vibrant community of interdisciplinary scholars at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and support graduate students pursuing the Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) and other master's-level professional degree programs, and the Ph.D. in Public Affairs program.
Successful candidates must demonstrate the potential to develop an innovative and socially impactful research portfolio that addresses contemporary questions related to social policy.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 1d

There is a new sandwich shop a few blocks from me called North Star Deli that is effectively a little museum for the North Stars.

We must not forget the loss of the Lakers to *checks clipboard* a California city in the desert.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 1d

I don't think we emphasize the spoon enough in faculty recruiting. It's really the cherry on top of a great city.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 1d

Shhhhhhh. I'm trying to attract candidates.

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 1d

If any junior scholars want to chat about the supportive environment that @umnlawschool.bsky.social has built, I'm more than happy to do so. Incredible institution. Great mentorship from a faculty that reads your work. Great city with a phenomenal food scene, fantastic parks, and a ton to do.

Matt Bodie @matthewtbodie.bsky.social · 1d

Minnesota Law is looking to hire a visiting assistant professor — more details here:

hr.myu.umn.edu/psc/hrprd/EM...

hr.myu.umn.edu

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Reposted by Nick Bednar

Matt Bodie @matthewtbodie.bsky.social · 1d

Minnesota Law is looking to hire a visiting assistant professor — more details here:

hr.myu.umn.edu/psc/hrprd/EM...

hr.myu.umn.edu

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Reposted by Nick Bednar

Julian Davis Mortenson @jdmortenson.bsky.social · 2d

“Originalist ‘Bombshell’ Complicates Case on Trump’s Power to Fire Officials” excellent @adamliptak.bsky.social piece on new developments in the executive power debates www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/u...

Originalist ‘Bombshell’ Complicates Case on Trump’s Power to Fire Officials

www.nytimes.com

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 2d

Molly Roberts has a nice piece at @lawfaremedia.org on the Hatch Act during the shutdown.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

The Trump Administration Pushes the Hatch Act to its Limits

But whether those boundaries have been breached may not matter in the end.

www.lawfaremedia.org

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 2d

I frankly need a new one.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 2d

I do. Went out for a nice dinner. Went to the homecoming game to cheer on the Gophers. Asked for an extension on an Article that has been hanging over my head. Could not run any errands because I lacked a credit card. It gave me some space to breath.

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 2d

On Friday, I accidentally took a stress ball home from the office instead of my wallet... I am certain that says something about my state of mind.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 2d

Between $10-16 is what I noticed this weekend at a nice (but not finest in town) place this weekend.

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

I think this image is just showing the structure of Wolverine's claws. No cause for concern. It's a mutation worth discussing in any anatomy course, I am sure.

An indescribably incorrect image of the muscles in the arm. It has this weird white pad that looks like it has two claws coming from the hand.

Laura Kinney as Wolverine. She is jumping in the air and has two claws protruding from her knuckles on each hand.

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

By the time the MSPB resolves pending cases, many employees will have found other jobs. Most people cannot afford to remain out of work while their claims go through the system. And most won't want to leave those new jobs to return to an employer who has spent the last year making their life hell.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

Many federal employees accept lower pay relative to the private sector in exchange for stability, an opportunity to serve the public, and a degree of autonomy. As those incentives are reduced, there are fewer reasons to remain or join the civil service.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

Ultimately, I think this is the right question. The government is losing credibility as an employer. The private sector cannot absorb all federal jobs but those with the greatest expertise and experience will have less difficulty finding jobs--especially in fields like health care.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

I have heard reports that some employees received the RIF notice via email or by the phone. I can't speak specifically for CDC.

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

It's in the DRC.

www.cnn.com/2025/09/24/h...

What a new Ebola outbreak in DR Congo means for people in the US | CNN

A new outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has prompted the CDC to issue warnings. CNN’s Dr. Leana Wen discusses prevention, symptoms and treatment.

www.cnn.com

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

Remember when I said there was no way they managed to perform a RIF with procedural precision during a shutdown? "The administration itself acknowledge(s) that some CDC workers had been mistakenly terminated due to coding errors, as reported earlier by ABC News."

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

"One source told me that some of the reversals came after the Trump administration realized that they had accidentally terminated critically important staffers working on current measles and Ebola outbreaks."

Scott L Greer @scottlgreer.bsky.social · 3d

…really?

Breaking News: RIFs in reverse. Some CDC workers have been brought back, in latest whiplash.

This is breaking news.

insidemedicine.substack.com

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Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

Maybe we can win this one @bridgetdooling.bsky.social.

A sign at the UMN football game advertising the volleyball game between UMN and OSU.

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

I had a student clerk for them over the summer and had a phenomenal experience.

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 3d

If you mean, "does it have a quorum?" Senate confirmed a nominee this week.

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