Esther Ritchin is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, a judge orders federal probationary workers reinstated, AFGE and other unions sue the Department of Homeland Security, and the Postmaster General announces intentions to work with DOGE.
Yesterday, a federal judge in California ordered the reinstatement of thousands of probationary employees who were fired from federal agencies last month. The judge refers specifically to the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Treasury, and ordered the discovery and deposition of Noah Peters, a senior advisor at the Office of Personnel Management. Judge Alsup said “It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie…That should not have been done in our country. It was a sham in order to try to avoid statutory requirements.”
Yesterday, multiple unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE TSA Local 1121, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security’s cancellation of its contract with Transportation Security Officers (TSOs). The contract was approved in 2024 and covers 47,000 workers.
The Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, has signed an agreement for the US Postal Service (USPS) to work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Elon Musk, the head of DOGE, has said he wants to privatize the USPS. The letter states USPS’s intent to eliminate 10,000 jobs in the next 30 days through an early retirement program.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.
July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching