Issue 83
BREAKING NEWS
» Apparently, we learned nothing from Tuskegee. CDC Is Moving Forward With a Previously Shelved Controversial Hepatitis B Vaccine Study | Rolling Stone
» Nice to see CDC getting back to working with state health departments, instead of against them. CDC to deploy additional support to Pennsylvania to probe measles outbreak | Reuters
» If only we had a safe and effective vaccine to prevent measles. Oh wait⊠US surpasses 4,000 measles cases with infections confirmed in 45 states: CDC | ABC News
» She was a good one. Helen Branswell, whose reporting on infectious diseases and public health drew acclaim, dies at 69 | STAT
Welcome to the 83rd issue of Fired But Fighting, a newsletter for illegally terminated, improperly RIFâd, 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
» This week's legal update focuses on the HHS RIF appeals in the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), legal action for denied reasonable accommodations (RAs), and challenging hiring decisions. In the MSPB, Judge Henline has finished reconsolidating the appeals from ACF, ACS, CDC, CMS, NIH, and the Office of the Secretary that were reassigned to him from Judge Black. Appeals being managed by Judge Perry are in discovery. For CDC appeals, the deadline for HHS to submit the Agency File has been pushed back to November 23. Snider and Associates filed a class complaint for denied RAs with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on February 7, 2026. That complaint, which is still waiting to be assigned to an administrative judge to proceed with class certification, is active.
» CDC leadership is in the process of finalizing its FY27 hiring plan, and COO Sean Slovenski has stated in multiple Center all-staff meetings that they intend to ramp up hiring...which is exactly what Senior Official Performing the Delegable Duties of the CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya said about the FY26 hiring plan during his first and only CDC all-staff meeting. Despite the lip service paid to filling positions, hiring numbers plus anecdotal evidence from those applying for positions make it clear that HHS is working against CDCâs efforts to rebuild its workforce. Luckily, hiring decisions can be challenged in the MSPB, just like the RIF. More information on this, as well as on the current status of RIF appeals and L2883 guidance on RAs, can be found in this week's legal update.
» Fired But Fighting has a working group for pro se appellants from all HHS agencies. All members are vetted to ensure that everyone who participates has been subject to an HHS RIF. The group meets monthly to share information and work together to figure out how to file motions and manage discovery. There is also a shared library with resources that may be helpful for your appeal. Our next meeting is scheduled for November 11. If this is something you are interested in, please reach out to us at legal@firedbutfighting.org.
» Read the latest legal update here.
CALLS TO ACTION
» đŁ 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. Please share the website and video with your network.
» Get ready to VOTE and serve as a poll watcher or a poll worker with some Election Resources weâve compiled.
» Stay Safe this Election Season: A Hatch Act Primer - a helpful guide on the Dos and Donâts of political activity while you are a federal employee (and yes, we can - and should - vote).
» DEADLINE APPROACHING - PUBLIC COMMENT NEEDED: Disability Erasure at CDCâs 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.
EVENTS
» Now - November 1: Visit the âScarecrows in the Gardenâ exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, and vote for the NPHC scarecrow (#47) as your favorite. Check out our special group visit days *tomorrow* (October 15) and October 18, and get more information on vaccine history on the NPHC website.
TOMORROW - 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 whistleblowerâs 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 TOMORROW, October 15.
» Keep an eye on FBFâs events page for updates between newsletters. Love event planning? Sign up to volunteer as an event coordinator. We think youâd be great at it. âš
CAREER CORNER
» Career Corner is off this week, but check out last weekâs edition here. As always, full of great info, an updated đ„Hot Jobs đ„ section, and a bunch of useful articles.
» Donât 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 â 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.
Although HHS guidance indicates that bargaining unit employees are exempt from this updated process, there are no current bargaining unit employees at CDC. HHS derecognized CDC's collective bargaining agreement with AFGE 2883 last year. AFGE is fighting back in court now. In the meantime, former bargaining unit employees are not exempt.
» AFGE Notches Another Win: After the attempt to RIF federal employees during the 2025 government shutdown, AFGE joined with other federal unions to fight against this illegal action. Last week, the administration settled with the unions, formally ending the effort to RIF those employees. The settlement further requires agencies to modify their shutdown plans to remove any authorization of RIFs during a shutdown. Together we fight, and together we win!
» Join AFGE L2883 â If youâre 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. Buy that public health book youâve been craving AND support CDC Mutual Aid at the same time - itâs a win-win. Check out the Public Good Partnership shelves at Bookish 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.
» âThereâs Nothing Spookier Than a Future Without CDCâ Merch is back đ»
From tees and long sleeves to baby gear and tote bags, this collection has something for everyone. If youâre 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 Americaâs 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):
» We all need more public health satire to survive - subscribe here. Interested in contributing? Email us at theweeklyneedle@proton.me.
SELF CARE
» Just in time for a cozy fall: A fellow CDCer has started a rune candle company. Launch party coming soon đŻïž
» 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: hereâs a free tool to create a Sankey Diagram.
