Saving NIST’s Workforce Act

This bill, known as the "Saving NIST's Workforce Act," institutes a temporary moratorium on specific personnel actions at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It prohibits NIST from initiating or implementing any reduction in force (RIF) or conducting involuntary separations of its employees. This moratorium applies to a broad range of NIST personnel, including those in the competitive service, excepted service, and career appointees in the Senior Executive Service. The moratorium will remain in effect until full-year appropriations for NIST for fiscal year 2026 have been enacted into law. The only exceptions to this prohibition are involuntary separations for cause, specifically charges of misconduct, delinquency, or inefficiency , ensuring that essential personnel actions related to severe performance issues or misconduct can still proceed while preventing broader workforce reductions.