BREAKING NEWS

» Down one more idiot. FDA chief’s resignation widens a leadership gap at the nation’s health department | AP News

» Health is a human right and should not be controlled by the whims of political appointees. America First Global Health Guidance Launches Fee-for-Service Coup Against CDC | Emily Bass Substack

» Say one thing, do the complete opposite. The CDC’s New Management Style: Announce It on TV, Enforce the Opposite | What I Can & Can't Say on TV Substack

» These requirements are ridiculous. Employees With Medical Conditions Challenge C.D.C. In-Office Requirement | New York Times

» Hantavirus Response Shows How Trump Cuts Have Compromised U.S. Preparedness | New York Times

» Keep an eye out in your local area. New wave of ICE deployments could impact more than 40 states | USA Today

Welcome to the 61st 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 (www.firedbutfighting.org/shop), or signing up to volunteer. You can also check out the FBF Talent Marketplace to support a fired fed.

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

LEGAL UPDATES

» Fired HHS probationary employees should have received the class certification notice by email (subject: “HHS Probationary Employees Class v. HHS - Class Action Notice”) from Gilbert late afternoon on Tuesday, May 5. Those who filed individual MSPB appeals should also have received a consolidation notice on or around May 4 grouping their appeal with the class appeal in the MSPB e-appeal system. If you meet the class definition, you will become part of the class and be bound by any decision in this appeal unless you opt out by filing an individual appeal by Monday, June 8. The legal update this week features information about the class action appeal, including the link to the certification order, the class definition, frequently asked questions, next steps, and contact information for the Gilbert team. Also included is information on the Congressional appropriations process, HHS RIF appeals in the MSPB, and updates on federal lawsuits challenging the government-wide RIFs.

Read the full legal update here.

CALLS TO ACTION

» Early voting is underway and the 2026 Georgia Primary elections are on May 19. Get ready to vote with some resources we’ve compiled:

Everything You Need to Vote - Vote.org: Make sure you’re registered, see what’s on your ballot, find your polling place, etc.
Make sure you never miss another election or polling place change by registering at the nonpartisan TurboVote.
Your Georgia Ballot has been sourced from news coverage, candidates’ websites, endorsement questionnaires, and other publicly available information.

» Join the Region 2 Public Health Training Center for a Professional Development for the Public Health Workforce webinar on May 21 at 12 PM EST. This 2nd webinar of a 3-part series will focus on strategies to navigate change in the public health sector, changes in the job market, tips for advocacy for public health, how to deal with a workplace which may be changing daily, and how to navigate potential layoffs, budget cuts, and unexpected policy changes. Register here.

» Consider donating to Clarkston Cares, a nonprofit organization that moves families from crisis to stability by providing emergency assistance, vital resources, and supportive relationships.

» One year after executive branch agencies set return-to-office requirements for employees, Federal News Network wants to learn more about what has changed, or not changed, since those first few months. If you are a current federal employee, consider taking a few minutes to fill out their survey. All answers will be kept anonymous and results will be used for an upcoming story for Federal News Network.

» ATTN Health Educators: Share Your Expertise at the 2026 SOPHE Advocacy Summit, October 17-19, 2026 in DC. Call for abstracts: due June 1.

» Volunteer with Fired But Fighting: Looking for ways to channel your rage? Sign up to volunteer.

EVENTS

» Don’t forget to keep an eye on FBF’s events page for updates between newsletters.

**NPHC Media Training**

» Join NPHC for a hands-on media training to help public health professionals confidently engage with reporters and communicate effectively in a news environment. In this training, you’ll:
Learn how to navigate media conversations around high-interest public health topics
Practice live interview scenarios and receive real-time feedback
Understand what messaging resonates most with the public and explore why message alignment across teams is critical to building trust and credibility
Come ready to learn, practice, and strengthen how you communicate about public health when it matters most.
**Join one of our Zoom sessions:** **Friday, May 15 at 12:00 PM**

UNION CORNER

» Beyond the Request: How to Strategically Secure and Defend Your Reasonable Accommodation

AFGE 2883 is bringing Davidra Bazemore-Blue, LCSW-C — known to many of you as @TheMogulSocialWorker — to lead an exclusive FREE training for our members and employees. It's open to everybody, but AFGE 2883 members will have registration priority.
📅 Register for May 13th, 7 pm - 8:30 pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BS4T-jRrTeK3sORRsN9Ojg
📅 Register for May 21st, 7 pm - 8:30 pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/dakPyvGSSWGbya6ZZWZiZw
💻 Virtual | 90 minutes each
❓ Live Q&A included. Bring your questions.

» If you have RA-specific questions or would like to help us support your colleagues in the disability community, please email us at ra@afge2883ga.org.

» If you’re not already a member, sign up 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

🎉 CDC Mutual Aid Fund clears a 7-month backlog 🎉

» Since October 2025, the CDC Mutual Aid Fund has responded to an unprecedented number of requests for financial relief, stretching our resources and creating a temporary waitlist for assistance. During that time, we raised and distributed more than $220,000 to support 168 families of fired and furloughed CDC workers. We are pleased to share that we have cleared our application backlog and remain committed to supporting new applicants who need financial assistance. We are deeply grateful to the CDC community whose generosity made this possible, and to the applicants whose years of dedication to public health and public service deserve recognition and appreciation.

💜 Remembering the life of Nancy Cox 💜

» Dr. Nancy Cox, who served as the director of the Influenza Division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2006 to 2014, passed away on April 24, 2026. Read more about Nancy's life and plans for her memorial service here: https://www.asturner.com/obituaries/nancy-cox.

🏓 Final Week to Register: Don’t Miss the Pickleball Social Benefit 🏓

» Join CDC Mutual Aid on Saturday, May 16, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at ITP Training Academy (3110 Presidential Drive, Atlanta) for a morning of pickleball, community, and fun, all benefiting CDC Mutual Aid. Register here.

» Follow CDC Mutual Aid Network on social media:

WEEKLY 27 UNIHTED

» Every Saturday: Vigil commemorating the lives and knowledge lost through NIH cuts.

» Federal workers coffee hour: Every Thursday of each month through October 2026. Download the flyer.

» Please follow and share 27 uNIHted’s Instagram account.

THE WEEKLY NEEDLE

» The Weekly Needle is America’s most trusted news source for all things health and medicine. Enjoy our most popular story:

» “RFK Jr Recommends Pretending You Aren’t Depressed as Effective Alternative to Anti-Depressants”- “Instead of frowns, Americans need more hobbies,” explained Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr., “the average American only has zero hobbies, and that correlates to being a frowny face stinker. You gotta go out, find yourself, and get a hobby. Mine involves raccoon penis bones.”

» Please consider becoming a subscriber by following the link here. Interested in contributing? Email us at theweeklyneedle@proton.me.

SPOON OF THE WEEK

» The CDC geese are the honorary spoon of the week. Keep an eye out for these cuties if you work on a CDC campus.

» To submit a spoon for a future newsletter, email info@firedbutfighting.org.

SELF CARE

» For sh*ts and giggles, this thread compiles answers to the question: “If I snort my SSRI off a toilet seat, will RFK Jr. let me keep taking it?”

» If you need a pick-me-up, visit Explore Livecams with 200+ live streams of animals and nature settings. There’s even a live kitten rescue cam.

» For the con lovers, Momocon is coming to Atlanta May, 21-24 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Check out the creators of Middle of Everything, an animated series teaching public health concepts to middle schoolers. Their session takes place Saturday, May 23, at 5:30 pm.

» Don’t forget about the Southern Fried Gaming Expo, which is run by three NCEH Spoons, taking place from July 31 through August 2 at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center and the Cobb Convention Center Atlanta.