HHS Staffers Sue Over Mass Layoffs Amid Controversial Federal Workforce Reduction

Former employees of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging illegal termination of thousands of workers based on inaccurate personnel records. The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, was filed on Tuesday in a Washington D.C. district court and targets HHS, the Department of Government Efficiency, and other agencies involved in the recent federal workforce reduction initiative.

Errors in Termination Notices Spark Legal Action

The lawsuit claims that the reduction-in-force (RIF) process, which began on April 1, was fraught with errors and inconsistencies. Affected employees reported receiving termination notices containing incorrect performance scores, office names, and other critical information. These discrepancies have raised serious concerns about the legitimacy and legality of the layoffs.

"Because the decisionmakers at these agencies were working with such flawed data, they barely knew who they were cutting," stated Clayton Bailey, a lawyer at the Civil Service Law Center representing the plaintiffs. "These employees suffered the consequences."

The suit alleges violations of the Privacy Act, which provides recourse for individuals affected by agency actions based on inaccurate personnel records. Lawyers estimate that most of the approximately 10,000 employees terminated during the April RIF could potentially qualify as members of the class-action suit.

HHS Acknowledges Mistakes, Faces Multiple Legal Challenges

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly admitted that mistakes were made during the restructuring process, citing the agency's desire to move quickly. While the HHS has rescinded RIF notices for hundreds of employees and pledged to reinstate staff who were improperly terminated, concerns about the cuts persist.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges faced by the Trump administration over its efforts to downsize the federal workforce. A separate lawsuit has already resulted in a California federal judge issuing an injunction to pause the firings, questioning the administration's authority to slash the workforce without congressional approval.

Additionally, a group of states is suing the Trump administration to reverse the HHS cuts, arguing that the department's critical health work has been severely impacted by the restructuring.

As the legal battles unfold, many affected workers remain on administrative leave, awaiting resolution of their employment status. The outcome of these lawsuits could have far-reaching implications for the future of the federal workforce and the ability of administrations to implement large-scale restructuring initiatives.