Issue 82
BREAKING NEWS
» Sick of disinformation? NPHC is hosting a virtual public health town hall Tuesday, October 13 at 7:30pm ET. Learn more in the Events section of this issue.
» Efficiency? Community groups lose HIV-prevention money as feds redirect dollars to states | Stateline
» We didn’t really need that measles elimination status 🙃 Pennsylvania passes 1,000 measles cases as PA health secretary says CDC is minimizing five measles associated deaths | WTAE
» Or affordable health care, either. How the 2027 FEHB premium increase will impact federal employees and annuitants | Federal News Network
» Your Local Epidemiologist provides answers to the Top 8 questions about the “plague” in Russia situation | Substack
» There’s no conflict of interest here… RFK Jr. Announces Vaccine Injury Clinic, Initiative at NIH | Bloomberg
» Just in time for spooky season: a witch hunt. Texas Pediatricians Face Paxton Investigations for Vaccinating Children | The New York Times (gift link)
Welcome to the 82nd 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 to the National Public Health Coalition, grabbing some merch (www.firedbutfighting.org/shop), signing up to volunteer, or subscribing to the NationalPHC Substack. You can also check out the FBF Talent Marketplace to support a fired fed.
Visit www.firedbutfighting.org/newsletter-library to read and share this and previous issues of the newsletter.
LEGAL UPDATES
» Legal is taking this week off, but you can read the most recent legal update here.
» Fired but Fighting has a working group for pro se appellants from different HHS agencies. The group meets monthly to share information and work together to figure out how to file motions and manage discovery. Our next meeting is scheduled for October 14. If this is something you are interested in, please reach out to us at legal@firedbutfighting.org.
CALLS TO ACTION
Volunteers Needed: Families Night
» Saturday, October 17. Volunteers needed to help with Families Night, hosted by Los Vecinos de Buford Highway. Los Vecinos de Buford Highway aims to uplift and support families and immigrants, while cultivating leaders of tomorrow. Sign up here.
» 📣 For the resilient staff still at CDC and those unlawfully fired or pushed out: Please help us spread the word. AFGE Local 2883 has launched a new website and video documenting the staff CDC has lost from March 2025 to May 2026, including detailed data across centers, divisions, and branches.
📰 Read the New York Times article (gift link)
💻 Please share the website and video with your networks — current and former colleagues, friends, family, professional associations, and others who care about CDC and public health.
» Get ready to VOTE and serve as a poll watcher or a poll worker with some Election Resources we’ve compiled.
» Be HEARD. Public Comment needed.
Keep Grant Review Transparent. Currently, NIH grant applications are assigned a numeric rating, which applicants use to compare their scores with other published awards and determine if they need to strengthen their applications. Under the proposed process, applications would be sorted into 3 broad categories, and the overall scores would not be released. These changes would reduce transparency and make it easier for applications to be denied for political instead of scientific reasons. Learn more about this issue and provide a comment by Tuesday, October 13.
The Census is in Trouble. Among other changes, this administration proposes removing race and ethnicity questions from the 2030 Census. Now is your time to exercise your rights and ensure your concerns are in the federal record. Learn more and comment here by Monday, November 2.
NEW: Disability Erasure at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Proposed changes to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) include: 1) A shift from primarily interviewer-administered interviews to web and paper self-response first, which raises accessibility concerns for people with disabilities and 2) elimination of survey items asking about disability age of onset and identification of intellectual disability, autism, or other developmental disabilities in adults. Learn more about these changes and comment here by Monday, October 19.
» Stay Safe this Election Season: A Hatch Act Primer - a helpful guide on the Dos and Don’ts of political activity while you are a federal employee (and yes, we can - and should - vote).
EVENTS
Virtual Public Health Town Hall
» Tuesday, October 13 at 7:30pm ET: Virtual Public Health Town Hall on keeping families healthy, hosted by the National Public Health Coalition, MomsRising and more. Topics include: affordability and access to health, mis/disinformation, vaccines and respiratory season, caregiving support, and more. RSVP here.
» Now - November 1: Visit the inaugural “Scarecrows in the Garden” exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, and vote for the NPHC scarecrow (#47) as your favorite. Check out our special group visit days on October 14, 15, and 18 and get more information on vaccine history on the NPHC website.
Fed Support Webinar: Feedback and Communication Across Differences
» Thursday, October 15 at 12:00pm ET: Government leaders share practical lessons for giving and receiving feedback, communicating across different perspectives and working styles, and strengthening collaboration. Part of the Practical Systems Skills series. Register on FedSupport.
No Kings Rally
» Saturday, October 17: Sign up to join a No Kings Rally. Check here to find an event in your local area.
Into the Wood Chipper
» Wednesday, October 21, at 4:30pm ET at the Emory Woodruff Library: Nicholas Enrich, a former USAID employee and best-selling author, shares a whistleblower’s account of how USAID was dismantled. Free to attend. RSVP here.
Out of the Darkness Walk
» Sunday, November 1 at 1:30pm ET. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Walk. Join the CDC and Friends team to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Buy the team tee here by October 15.
» Keep an eye on FBF’s events page for updates between newsletters. Love event planning? Sign up to volunteer as an event coordinator. We think you’d be great at it. ✨
CAREER CORNER
» This week’s issue of the Career Corner is full of great info, including a refreshed Hot Jobs section, a stacked slate of job fairs (several happening this week alone), a FedSupport webinar series, and some interesting articles. Check it out.
» Don’t miss career-related events and opportunities. Join the Former HHS Staff LinkedIn Group and follow NPHC on LinkedIn to stay current on career-related events.
» Want to help make Career Corner happen? Sign up to volunteer.
UNION CORNER
» PMAP Updates: CDC released guidance for completing the FY26 PMAPS this week, and it has all the greatest hits – opaque process, faceless outside committees, and pitting coworkers against one another. Read our full email here, and then check out our new PMAP guide. To view our August webinar on PMAP Tips and Tricks and download our handouts, visit our L2883 member website.
» Union Members in Need: We are starting to highlight fellow union members in need of donations via the voluntary leave transfer program (VLTP). If you are able to donate annual leave hours, please consider doing so.
Kimberly Alexander (PHIC/DWD)
Komal Peer (NCEH/DEH)
If you are approved for VLTP and would like your name featured to receive leave donations, send your name and CDC user ID to info@afge2883ga.org.
» Join AFGE L2883 — 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
Support CDC Mutual Aid at Bookish
» We are excited to announce our partnership with Bookish in East Atlanta Village. Stop by to visit the Public Good Partnership shelves and look for titles focusing on public health, community preparedness & emergency response, and the conditions that determine who stays well. When you buy a title from the shelf in the store, 100% of the profits go back to Mutual Aid. Learn more here.
» “There’s Nothing Spookier Than a Future Without CDC” Merch is back 👻
From tees and long sleeves to baby gear and tote bags, this collection has something for everyone. If you’re looking for a way to show support and stay festive, this is the perfect time to grab your favorite piece. Visit the CDC Mutual Aid Network Store: https://cdc-mutual-aid-network.printful.me/
» Follow CDC Mutual Aid Network on Social Media
THE WEEKLY NEEDLE
» The Weekly Needle is America’s most trusted news source for all things health, medicine, and CDC & HHS. Enjoy a free article on us (all our articles are free, but this one is especially free):
» CDC Director Drops Bombshell Evidence that Plague is Bad - As CDC Leadership prepares a response to a potential leak of pneumonic plague, CDC Director Erica Schwartz drops bombshell evidence that getting the plague “really bites.”
» We all need more public health satire to survive - subscribe here. Interested in contributing? Email us at theweeklyneedle@proton.me.
SPOON OF THE WEEK
» This week we’re celebrating the 2026 Atlanta AIDS Walk supporters, donors, and participants. Together, the NPHC/FBF team raised over $600 to support local HIV/AIDS service organizations.
» To submit a spoon for a future newsletter, email info@firedbutfighting.org.
SELF CARE
» Just in time for a cozy fall: A fellow CDCer has started a rune candle company. Launch party coming soon 🕯️
» Looking for low-cost counseling? The Link Counseling Center offers sliding scale services and some grief support groups free of charge. Learn more at their website.
» Take a moment to read this AJPH article on hope, fighting authoritarianism, and standing up for science and justice, from our NIH colleagues, Jenna Norton and Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou. If you're in need of a motivational speech, we highly recommend.
» For the data viz nerds: here’s a free tool to create a Sankey Diagram.
FIRED BUT FIGHTING IN THE NEWS
» October 6: How three former CDC employees have dealt with the agency's shredding | Georgia Public Broadcasting
