Issue 16

Jul 4

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVANTS ARE PATRIOTS

HHS staff are dedicated workers committed to a healthy America. We wish all of you patriots a happy Independence Day!

—
Welcome to the 16th issue of Fired But Fighting, a newsletter for illegally terminated, improperly RIF’d, and chaotically reinstated HHS employees. Read on for judicial and advocacy updates, links to media coverage, calls to action, tips, and resources.

Visit www.firedbutfighting.org/newsletter-library to read this and previous issues of the newsletter on the web.

BREAKING NEWS

» FBF Media Briefing - On July 2nd, FBF and CDC Alumni & Friends hosted a national press conference on the potential impacts of the proposed FY26 federal budget.

» Budgetary win for feds - Thanks to the Byrd Rule, the Senate parliamentarian ruled that most of the proposals aimed at cutting federal employees’ retirement benefits and civil service protections were against Senate policy and have been stripped from the reconciliation package.

» “We will not stay silent on vaccines,” say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations, in an opinion piece published in Stat. The authors are the presidents of the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

JUDICIAL UPDATES

» Judge DuBose of the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island issued a preliminary injunction on July 1 in the State of New York v. Kennedy case. The injunction prevents HHS from moving forward on any RIFs or reorganization that would impact CDC, as well as several other programs within HHS. Meanwhile, the agency has not renewed its license with GRB, which means that those planning to retire will have to find a workaround to prepare their request.

Read the full legal update here.

CALLS TO ACTION

» Want to join the movement but don’t know where to start? Take a look at this menu of options for ways you can contribute, whether front and center or behind the scenes.

» “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” - Hold Your Reps Accountable: On 7/3, the House passed the Senate version of H.R. 1 by a 281-214 vote, with Republicans Thomas Massie (KY-04) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) joining all Democrats in voting NO. Call your representatives and hold them accountable for their vote. If you need help with what to say, the 5 Calls app and these talking points from CDC Alumni can help you with that.

» Looking for a simple action you can take to fight back against DOGE and Vought? The 50501 movement, FWAD (Federal Workers Against DOGE), and the Free States Coalition explain how submitting a FOIA request can help slow operations and demand accountability, along with step-by-step instructions for doing so.

» The CDC Mutual Aid Network has set a goal of raising $75,000 by the end of August to support our colleagues facing urgent financial hardship. You can help. Share the campaign with your networks or make a tax-deductible donation today. Access CMA's sample post and outreach language.

» Volunteer with Fired But Fighting! Looking to stay sharp and productive while job hunting? Our volunteer positions offer real-world, professional experience with flexible hours. Ready to get back to “work?” Sign up to volunteer. We especially need support on our social media team. Jump in to help raise hell and awareness through all things social: graphic design, copywriting, engagement, etc.

EVENTS

» Saturday, July 5 - 🍻Tucker Brewing Company from 6-9 pm ET | Special Edition (Un) Happy Hour with music from a band of Rollins staff members, Reinstate Pluto. Plus letter-writing and a free beer on AFGE 2883! Click for details.

» July 15, 2025 - Join a Public Health Advocacy Training from SAPHL (Southern Alliance of Public Health Leadership). Register here.

QUICK TIP

Is your head spinning trying to keep up with all the Trump administration lawsuits? Check out Lawfare’s Litigation Tracker.

SELF CARE

» Fellow CDCer, Dr. Tomi Oluwatomiloba, is leaning on faith to get through these difficult times and created a prayer plan called Fired and Fighting Back: Prayers for Restoration After Job Loss. You can find it on Bible.com >>

» Read ‘Your Happiness & Forgiveness Calendar for July’ from Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center

» Join 10 Days of Happiness online coaching |Action for Happiness

» On Monday, July 14, join WellFed for Monday Meditation from 1-1:30 pm. Start your week feeling centered with a meditation hosted by Drew Tye Ruby-Howe (former fed). Find details on FBF’s community calendar or WellFed’s website.

For more resources, please visit the CDC Mutual Aid Network.

UNION CORNER

» Highly Skilled CDC Scientists (T42s) Are Quietly Being Pushed Out: Despite promises to protect them, Title 42 scientists at CDC are quietly being pushed out as contracts go unrenewed. These cuts threaten cancer research, infectious disease work, and even immigration status for some.

» What’s the deal with dues-paying membership in AFGE Local 2883? We know there’s been a lot of confusion around who can pay dues and what it means to be a dues-paying member vs. a bargaining unit employee (BUE). We’re breaking it down for you.

Paying dues makes you an active AFGE 2883 member with legal support, voting rights, representation, and member-only benefits. Join at join.afge.org/L2883 (there isn’t a RIF’d option yet, so select “Current” in the dropdown).

CAREER CORNER

» The Coaching Collaborative is offering free coaching to those who have been impacted by RIFs and reorgs.

» July 8, 2025 - Join APHA’s upcoming webinar, Your Public Health Job Search: Networking from 3:00 to 4:00 ET. It includes a deep dive into the art of networking and strategies for maintaining your network over time. Register here.

» July 11, 2025 - WellFed is hosting a virtual Friday coworking session from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET. This is dedicated time for resume development and interview prep. Find details on FBF’s community calendar or WellFed’s website.

» July 24, 2025 - Join Partnership for Public Service’s Virtual Career Expo from 10 am - 6 pm ET. This free event is open to current or former federal employees who want to continue a career in public service in state or local government. Get details and register here.

» The Fired But Fighting LinkedIn group is THE place to stay up to date on the latest public health jobs.

FIRED AND THRIVING*

Ever wonder about the Fired But Fighting origin story? Maybe you’ve scrolled to the bottom of the FBF website and noticed, “Powered by Small Sites.” Sarah Boim, founder of Small Sites by Sarah (now Out of Office Web Studios), served as a health communications specialist at CDC’s NCEH/ATSDR, where she created the center’s first CDC Digital Impact Report before being removed in the purge of “probationary” employees. Fired and fed up, Sarah used her comms skills to build the FBF and CDC Data Project websites and helped start this weekly newsletter.

“If there’s no transparency, we’ll build our own spotlight. If there’s no communication, we’ll be the megaphone.”
– Sarah Boim, Hands Off Speech, April 5, 2025

*A note that this Fired and Thriving feature was forced on Sarah by KN🦄 and is not, in fact, shameless self-promotion.