The Federal Employee Briefing for February 17, 2025

Mass Firings Continue Across Nation's Health Agencies

Summary:
The Trump administration has executed further mass firings within the Health and Human Services Department, affecting staff at the FDA, CMS, and the emergency preparedness office. These terminations are part of a significant cut of approximately 3,600 probationary employees across various health agencies, initiated earlier in the week, primarily targeting CDC and NIH employees. The cuts have raised concerns about impairing public health programs and response capabilities to threats such as bird flu. Despite officials' claims that the layoffs were methodically planned to protect core functions, insiders reported the process as chaotic and indiscriminate, with vital roles affected. Lawmakers and health experts criticized the mass firings, highlighting potential risks to public health management and setbacks in significant health initiatives like Medicare, Medicaid, and emergency response efforts.

🔗 Politico

Legal Insight:
These mass terminations may raise legal questions regarding due process rights for federal employees, especially concerning the procedures followed during such widespread dismissals.

2. Trump's Return-to-Office Order Threatens Power of Government Unions

Summary:
The Trump administration's new executive order mandates all federal employees to return to office work, effectively ending remote work arrangements. The directive, which starts February 24, is being challenged by federal employee labor unions, which claim it violates collective bargaining agreements that allowed remote work. This battle could reshape the power of unions in federal employment, testing whether previous administration-negotiated agreements can be overridden by new executive orders. The unions, which represent over 1.2 million federal employees, argue the policy disregards existing contracts and creates logistical issues with office space and commuting. The administration sees this move as a step toward reducing bureaucracy and reinforcing presidential authority, despite criticism that it undermines union influence in federal governance.

🔗 Wall Street Journal

Legal Insight:
This executive order could violate existing collective bargaining agreements, leading to legal challenges over the enforceability of union contracts under shifting administrations.

3. EEOC Seeks to Drop Transgender Discrimination Cases, Citing Trump's Executive Order

Summary:
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is moving to dismiss six cases of gender identity discrimination, citing a new executive order from President Trump that recognizes only two immutable sexes—male and female. This represents a major policy shift from the Biden administration, which had extended protections to transgender and nonbinary employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The cases involve claims of workplace discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination of transgender workers. Critics argue this change undermines civil rights enforcement and removes workplace protections for affected employees. Legal experts predict potential lawsuits challenging the EEOC’s decision and the broader interpretation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

🔗 AP News

Legal Insight:
The EEOC's shift in policy could conflict with prior legal interpretations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, likely leading to litigation over the scope of workplace protections for transgender employees.