Worker Policy Watch
Your source for accurate and reliable information on how federal policies are shaping workers’ rights—and what’s at stake for working people nationwide under the Trump administration.
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Trump Administration Indefinitely Pauses Federal Workplace Safety Council in Likely Violation of Federal Law
The Trump Administration effectively shut down the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health, an advisory group of labor unions and federal agencies established by law to provide recommendations to the Secretary of Labor on worker safety and health across agencies.
Impact:
By shutting down the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health, the Trump administration is in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The “pause” of the OSHA advisory council does not appear to be isolated to the Department of Labor. There are reports of similar pauses at Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and Homeland Security.
Thousands of Foreign Aid Workers Could Soon Be Unemployed Amid Trump Funding Freeze
The Trump administration’s foreign aide funding freeze has already resulted in some layoffs for foreign aid and humanitarian organization workers and thousands of workers, including contractors, may soon be unemployed.
Impact:
The U.S. is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance worldwide, deploying billions of dollars through multiple agencies, including the USAID. With the current federal foreign aide funding freeze and essential shutdown of USAID, foreign aide and humanitarian organizations that depend on these funding streams have already begun to furlough and let go workers, and of course, cannot perform or provide their live-saving services.
A Memo from a Trump Administration Official Warns of Likely Federal Workforce Layoffs
A General Services Administration official’s memo warns of likely layoffs of as many as 50% of federal workers in some agencies, right before the "deferred resignation" offer window closes on Thursday.
Impact:
Over two million federal workers received a resignation offer on January 28th that expires on Thursday, February 6th. Federal workforce unions and other groups have urged caution against accepting the offer, which appears designed to pressure federal workers to hastily resign their positions in the chaos. Memos like the one from GSA are designed to increase the pressure for federal workers to resign, rather than staying on the job, serving the public, and relying on their civil service protections to keep them in their jobs.
Whole Foods Attempts to Void Union Victory for Workers in Philadelphia because of Trump’s Likely Illegal Firing of NLRB Member Wilcox
Amazon-owned Whole Foods files a request to the National Labor Relations Board to dismiss the results of a union election at a Whole Foods in Philadelphia where workers voted to unionize.
Impact:
Last month, workers at a Whole Foods store in Philadelphia voted in favor of joining the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union. Union representatives for UFCW argue that given Trump’s shakeup of the NLRB, this is a stalling tactic designed to delay Whole Foods coming to the negotiating table to bargain with workers. Currently, with the likely illegal firing of Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the NLRB lacks a quorum and are unable to issue decisions in labor disputes.
Trump appoints William B. Cowen Acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board
Trump appoints William Cowen as Acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) after firing Acting General Counsel Jessica Rutter, former General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, and NLRB Member Gwynne Wilcox.
Impact:
Even with Cowen now appointed, the NLRB remains one member short of a quorum and cannot take action in cases of unfair labor practices. Gwynne Wilcox has sued the Trump administration saying her dismissal from the National Labor Relations Board is illegal.
Trump Puts USAID Workers on Leave And Recalls Overseas Staff
The Trump administration effectively shuts down the USAID by putting almost all of staff on leave and begins process to withdraw USAID staff overseas.
Impact:
Two thirds of USAID’s staff are positioned overseas, and the abrupt recall back to the United States leaves workers and their families scrambling to make arrangements and uproot their lives. USAID workers, supporters, and law makers protested outside the agency headquarters on Monday to rally against DOGE overreach and the devastating impact a USAID shutdown has on workers and communities world-wide.
Federal Employee Unions Sue to Block Musk’s Access to Treasury Payment Systems
Three unions sue the Trump administration to block Elon Musk and his aides from accessing sensitive personal and financial information like bank accounts and Social Security numbers from individuals in the Treasury department payment systems.
Impact:
The Treasury Department payment systems disburse trillions in payments each year, including Social Security checks and federal salaries. Musk’s access is in violation of privacy laws and raises concerns around the Trump administration’s ability to cease payments for Medicare, Social Security, government worker salaries, and more.
Trump Administration Terminates Temporary Protective Status Determination for Venezuela
Trump-appointed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem terminated Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for 600,000 Venezuelans in the United States. Created in 1990, TPS is granted when immigrants cannot return to their countries because of natural disasters or political upheaval and has been granted by Republican and Democratic administrations alike.
Impact:
This order means that hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who were previously protected by TPS, because of economic and political conditions caused by authoritarian rule, will lose the ability to legally stay and work in the United States. They are at risk of deportation and family separation. Workplaces and local economies who depend on immigrant workers will suffer.
Trump Administration Calls Union Contract Telework Provisions ‘Unlawful’
An Office of Personnel Management (OPM) memo claims telework provisions in federal worker union contract language are against the law, setting up additional conflict with labor groups.
Impact:
The OPM has instructed agencies that telework contract language is invalid and that paves the way for the administration’s aggressive return to office policy that aims to pressure federal workers to resign from their positions.
Trump Fires Acting NLRB General Counsel
Just days after firing Jennifer Abruzzo, Trump also fires Jessica Rutter, the Acting NLRB General Counsel, continuing his attempt to neuter the NLRB so that it cannot protect workers and their rights.
Impact:
While workers can still file charges with NLRB district offices, employers now have a tool to keep delaying and appealing every adverse decision they get so as to stop workers from vindicating their rights to join unions and collectively bargain with their employers.