Issue 13

Jun 12

Welcome to the 13th issue of Fired But Fighting, a newsletter for illegally terminated, improperly RIF’d, and chaotically reinstated CDC employees. Read on for judicial and advocacy updates, links to media coverage, calls to action, tips, and resources.

BREAKING NEWS

» FBF Statement on ACIP Member Firings: Fired But Fighting and public health officials across the country resoundingly reject Sec. Kennedy’s claims and condemn him and the Trump Administration for dismantling ACIP. Read Fired But Fighting’s full statement here.

» FBF Statement on RIF Recissions: Fired But Fighting has released a statement on the recent UnRIFings. Our message: We will not be distracted. Read the full statement here.

» Watch the Judge Illston Hearing on June 13: The hearing, scheduled for 11:30 am PT/2:30 pm ET will include a discussion of topics such as the probationary firings, RIFs/unRIFs, and the planned RIFs at the state department that likely violate her order. Zoom ID: 161-210-8939 / Pswd: 539983

JUDICIAL UPDATES

» On June 11, shortly after 1 p.m., nearly 500 RIF’d CDC staff received notice via email that their reduction in force (RIF) notices had been rescinded and that they would return to duty. This includes the reinstatement of 214 from the Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, 158 from the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, 24 from the Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, 5 from the Center for Forecasting and Analytics, 8 from the National Center for Health Statistics, 19 from the Office of Communications, 27 from the Office of Acquisition Services, and 12 from the Office of Human Resources. Over 2,000 staff at CDC remain on administrative leave pending a decision in the AFGE et al. v. Trump case currently before the Supreme Court.

To view this week’s full legal update, click here.

CALLS TO ACTION

» Outraged by RFK's firing of all ACIP members? Leave a comment on the June 2025 meeting notice here. The comment period ends on June 20 at 11:59 pm ET. Find more information, including how to request to make an oral public comment during the meeting, here.

» Join the CDC Alumni and Friends’ Urgent Action Alert! Call Senator Cassidy (Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Policy - HELP) and let him know you are appalled that Secretary Kennedy has unilaterally dismissed all 17 members of CDC’s ACIP. Cassidy facilitated RFK’s senate approval by casting the deciding vote in the HELP committee. See background information and key messages to communicate to Senator Cassidy.

» We Are Patriots: From June 4th to July 4th, Fired But Fighting is our Federal Workforce, and we are encouraging people to fight back against the Trump Administration’s assault on our systems of government. Click here to learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved.

» Did you receive a RIF rescission email? If so, please complete this form. Fired But Fighting and AFGE Local 2883 are trying to understand and confirm which parts of CDC are being “brought back.”

» If you are a terminated probie who has not received severance or been placed on the PRL please complete this form.

» Help restore the blood safety program by signing this petition! This surveillance program monitors the national blood supply for blood-borne pathogens and all staff were RIF’d on April 1.

» Did your health insurance end on May 8? Please call your provider to confirm. If yes, immediately email hrcs@cdc.gov and ask for continuation of coverage. Be sure to also CC the union using probationary@afge2883ga.org.

» Have you heard of any activities related to illegal transfer of functions (activities of RIF’d staff being taken over, for example)? If so, please fill out this form from AFGE. See the Union Corner for more details!

» Snuggles for Science: The newest Fired But Fighting fundraising item, a snuggly 6” teddy bear with a “CDC Saves Lives” shirt is on sale alongside the FBF’s classic tees. Funds raised help us pay for the supplies and services we need to continue to fight back! Shop the fundraiser.

EVENTS

» Saturday, June 14 - 🇺🇸 Fired But Fighting Presents: Take Back the Flag, an all-American party celebrating the real American patriots. Free beer, hot dogs, burgers, etc. Decatur from 3 pm to 7 pm. RSVP required. Let us know you’re coming.

» Saturday, June 14 - ❌👑 Before you hit the FBF 'Take Back the Flag' event, attend the No Kings rally, a nationwide nonviolent day of anti-authoritarian protest and action. If you’d like to walk with fellow CDCers, meet us at the Memorial Drive Greenway between 9:00 and 9:30. Click to learn more.

» Saturday, June 21 - AFGE is hosting a “Solidarity Saturday” event at Manuel’s Tavern. RSVP here.

» Friday-Sunday, June 20-22 - 🕹️ Need to take a break and have some fun with your fellow gamers & geeks? Did you know that the Southern Fried Gaming Expo is run by three of our fellow RIF’d CDC feds? Our colleagues are offering a special discount: Use code FiredButFighting at online checkout to receive 25% off pre-registration. This code is not valid at the door.

» Friday, July 4 - Do you live OTP north? Our friends at Indivisible Cobb are holding a parade celebrating “the workers behind our freedom.” View the event flyer here.

» Saturday, July 5 - (Un) Happy Hour with music from a band of Rollins staff members, Reinstate Pluto. Free beers on AFGE 2883!

QUICK TIPS

» Were you recently reinstated and unsure whether it’s okay to continue advocacy work, including volunteering with Fired But Fighting? The answer is YES. You can engage in politics and protests on your own time. If you want to participate in a rally during your tour of duty, you must take administrative leave. See AFGE’s Hatch Act guidance and FBF’s quick reference guide.

» Can’t afford Marketplace insurance? If you’re in Atlanta, look into the Grady Card. Grady offers discounted care under a Financial Assistance Program to qualified individuals for emergency and medically necessary services. You can learn more here: Financial Assistance Program - Plain Language Summary | Grady Health

» Worried about paying your bills? Your mortgage and utility companies may offer options for people experiencing financial hardships, such as job loss. You can either contact the companies directly or visit I need help paying my bills | United Way 211 to learn about your options.

» If you’re looking for ways to save money on prescriptions or are exploring state-funded health insurance, take a look at the Resources for Medications & GA Health Marketplace created by one of our Fired But Fighting volunteers.

» Pregnant in Georgia without health insurance? Medicaid covers you for the duration of your pregnancy. You are also covered up to one year postpartum, and your baby can be covered up to age 18. More information about coverage is available at Georgians for a Healthy Future and Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Georgia.

SELF CARE

» Caring for your Mental Health tips and resources | NIH

» Are your social media feeds bringing you down? Take Control of your Algorithm by following these steps.| Polymathic Being

» How to Train Your Algorithms: Training Social Media with an ACT Values Model | LinkedIn

UNION CORNER

» Save the Date! Tuesday, June 17 at 1 pm: AFGE L2883 is cohosting a RIF Town Hall with Legal Justice at Work for ALL RIF’d employees. This session will provide important information regarding Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals, with a focus on class appeals. This is a valuable opportunity to understand the appeals process. Andrew Weeks from Legal Justice at Work will be able to address many of the FAQs that have come up lately.

» If you are a separated employee, you can still be a dues-paying member of AFGE Local 2883. Regardless of your status, AFGE Local 2883 remains committed to standing with all affected employees. For questions, please email Local 2883 at probationary@afge2883ga.org.

» AFGE National Legal has requested information from staff on transfer of functions. If you are familiar with any activities related to illegal transfer of functions (activities of RIF'd staff being taken over, for example), please fill out this form.

CAREER CORNER

Upcoming Webinar - June 25 | American Society for Microbiology: Public Health and Beyond: A Career Exploration Series: Part 3 - Academics, Clinical Microbiology and Other Public Health Avenues | Learn More and Register Here

» Webinar on Demand | APHA: Your Public Health Job Search: Transitioning Across Sectors | Replay Webinar

» WePairHealth is the first AI-enabled career marketplace, built by and for Community Health Workers and Doulas. Create a profile to be paired with vetted frontline public health jobs.

» Have you signed up for the Coursera Supporting Federal Workers in Transition program yet? Free access to Coursera courses and certificates are available through December 31, 2025.

» Join our Fired But Fighting LinkedIn group for former CDC employees. We are partnering with employers and public health leaders to share opportunities and job resources.