Issue 47
BREAKING NEWS
» Many HHS subagencies have received level funding for FY2026, including CDC, as the partial government shutdown ends less than four days after it began. Though the fight is far from over, we can still celebrate these wins.
» Congress guarantees furloughed feds’ back pay despite continued White House maneuvering | Government Executive
» Measles confirmed in ICE detainees in Arizona and Texas. What to know | azcentral
» Congress passes 'Give Kids a Chance Act' after political showdown | WJLA
» Stop ICE. Protect Health. Last week, Save HHS released a letter to Congress denouncing the ongoing ICE invasion of American cities. Read the full letter here.
» Fresh merch including “Stay Salty,” “Federal Disaster Team,” and “Enjoy Measles” tees and koozies. Grab some gear and support FBF/NPHC.
Welcome to the 47th issue of Fired But Fighting, a newsletter for illegally terminated, improperly RIF’d, chaotically reinstated, and current HHS staff. Read on for judicial and advocacy updates, links to media coverage, calls to action, tips, and resources.
Please consider supporting us by making a donation, grabbing some FBF merch, or signing up to volunteer. We’re especially looking for a volunteer coordinator and a finance person. You can also check out the FBF Talent Marketplace to support a fired (or furloughed) fed.
Fresh new Fired But Fighting merch
Visit www.firedbutfighting.org/newsletter-library to read this and previous issues of the newsletter on the web.
LEGAL UPDATES
» After a very brief go-round on the jackass carousel, Congress has fully funded HHS for FY26. The funding legislation bars any federal government RIFs for two weeks and requires the HHS Secretary to submit 60 days' notice and a detailed justification for any effort to reorganize CDC. Meanwhile, AFGE is coming in hot for FEMA, requesting an injunction against DHS's plan to eliminate nearly 10,000 CORE disaster response staff. The union also saw a victory in the delivery (FINALLY) of the agency RIF plans used to conduct large-scale RIFs last year. This week's legal update includes updates on these lawsuits and information on ongoing MSPB appeals (for probies and the April Fools RIFed). NOTE: If you have filed an MSPB appeal and are willing to help our team stay updated on the status of this process, please reach out to us at legal@firedbutfighting.org. We are primarily looking for information on how many HHS OPDIV consolidations are moving forward and how many appellants are in each bloc.
Read the full legal update here.
CALLS TO ACTION
Vigil for Alex Pretti
A vigil in remembrance of Alex Pretti and all victims of ICE will be held on February 5 at 6:30pm at the Atlanta VA. Please bring candles or glowsticks.
» ICE is a public health problem. We’ve compiled resources on the FBF Resources page for our readers to take a stand against ICE.
» If you’re looking to send a message to Congress, Democracy.io makes it easy to contact your senators and representatives on a single website.
» The comment period is open on the Department of Education recategorization of Public Health, Nursing, and other professional degrees no longer being “Professional Degrees.” PLEASE COMMENT ABOUT HOW BAD OF AN IDEA THIS IS.
» If you were RIFed from HHS on April 1 and had errors in your RIF notice or on your retention register, you may be eligible for inclusion in a class-action lawsuit seeking monetary damages for violations of the Privacy Act. The class is defined as “[all] individuals who were employed by [HHS] in a non-probationary status on March 31, 2025, were sent a Notice of [RIF] or Notice of Intent to [RIF] on April 1, 2025, and whose Notice of [RIF] was inconsistent with official personnel records.” This includes RIFed HHS employees who were separated, those still on administrative leave, and those who have since been reinstated. If you think you might be a member of the proposed class, you can share your information with the law firm filing the suit here.
» Volunteer with Fired But Fighting: Looking for ways to channel your rage? Sign up to volunteer. We’re especially looking for volunteer coordinators, CPAs, and attorneys.
EVENTS
Rage Room
» February 21: Rage Room + (Un) Happy Hour Combo. Home base is Skol Brewing Company. The Spin Art ATL Rage Room is within walking distance, and we’ve booked the room at 2:00 and 3:00. RSVP here.
The Sandwich Project
» February 22: Join Compassionate Atlanta and The Sandwich Project in serving our neighbors with food insecurity by assembling sandwiches and care packages. RSVP here.
NPHC/FBF Day of Service
» March 7: Join NPHC/FBF for our first Day of Service with the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Register here.
CAREER CORNER
» The Career Corner is 🚧 under construction 🚧 . In the meantime, please visit the Unemployment & Career Planning section in FBF Resources.
» Join the Opportunities for Former HHS Staff Group and follow Fired But Fighting on LinkedIn for more.
WEEKLY 27 UNIHTED
» Every Saturday: Vigil commemorating the lives and knowledge lost through NIH cuts. Black attire encouraged. 10 am at the Medical Center Metro.
Benefit Concert
» 27 UNIHTED Benefit Concert: February 15 at 5:00 pm at The Alley. Download the flyer.
» Please follow and share 27 uNIHted’s new Instagram account.
UNION CORNER
» On February 13, AFGE L2883 dues will increase from $15 to $22.46 biweekly for current employees, and from $50 to $75 annually for retired employees. We have secured a one-year exception to the increase for recently separated employees so that you will continue to pay only $15 per pay period. If you are recently separated but are charged the higher amount, please contact us at info@afge2883ga.org so we can resolve the issue.
» Only a small portion of your dues (<25%!) goes to L2883 (the rest goes to AFGE national), but your dues are essential to ensure our local is able to continue operating and assisting its members, including with legal representation.
» L2883 will be holding officer elections soon, please be on the lookout for a call for nominations. Due to National Labor Relations Board regulations, this will come via snail mail, so please ensure your address on file with AFGE is correct!
» If you would like support with requesting EEO counseling for a denial of your reasonable accommodation (RA) or for any other discrimination experienced, please fill out a request for representation here. Please note, we only have resources to represent dues-paying members.
» If you have RA specific questions or would like to help us support your colleagues in the disabilities community, please email us at ra@afge2883ga.org.
» If you’re not already a member, sign up here to join the fight now! As a reminder, all job series (including supervisors) are eligible to join! The only exception is commissioned corps officers. https://join.afge.org/L2883
CDC MUTUAL AID
💕 This Valentine’s Day, let’s show up for one another 💕
We’re fundraising for the CDC Mutual Aid Network through Valentine’s Day cards—small gestures, real support.
10 cards for $8 | Beautiful designs | Helping colleagues in need. Pre-order now! https://lnkd.in/epme5Tse
» New Merch Drop! Check out our new "Public Health is Love" collection and more. Every purchase directly supports our mission and helps us continue making a difference. cdc-mutual-aid-network.printful.me
» For additional resources, check out our resource library for CDC workers at www.cdcresourceportal.org/resources
» Follow CDC Mutual Aid Network on Social Media!
THE WEEKLY NEEDLE
» The Weekly Needle is America’s most trusted news source for satirical medical news. Enjoy our top story from last week:
» HHS to Approve 'Miracle Substance’ of 90’s - 2000’s Era Novelty Toy Floam as Key to Curing Vaccines. - “Not only is this stuff yummy” said RFK Jr as he washed down a serving of Floam with a concoction of Floam and raw milk, “but also it takes all the mercury from vaccines that live in our body. It certainly has cured me of my autism”.
» Please consider becoming a subscriber by following the link here. Interested in contributing? Email us at theweeklyneedle@proton.me.
SPOON OF THE WEEK
» To submit a spoon for a future newsletter, email info@firedbutfighting.org.
SELF CARE
» In honor of Black History Month, take a look at this Instagram post and article recognizing the impact of Black Public Health heroes.
» For the reality TV fans: Check out the Married to Health Policy substack. Using the reality show Married to Medicine as a jumping-off point, this substack breaks down health policy issues like healthcare access, changes to the childhood vaccine schedule and ICE's presence in hospitals, using plain language. Learn more about the author and subscribe here.
» Feel like switching up your Signal avatar? Fired But Fighting has curated a free library of Signal avatars for a fresh, fun new look.
» 🎲 Need some Dice and Diversions? This local Atlanta gaming con - run by 3 fellow Spoons - is February 20-22. Not too late to partake or volunteer.
FIRED BUT FIGHTING IN THE NEWS
» January 30: Is HHS out of the woods? | POLITICO
