Union Group Sues to Block DOGE Labor Department Data Access (1)

A coalition of unions and a worker advocacy organization are suing to block the Department of Government Efficiency from gaining entry to the US Labor Department’s computer systems.

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday, argues that DOGE’s plans to attempt to access the DOL’s sensitive information systems on Feb. 5 are being carried out without legal authority and in violation of the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

“Absent this Court’s intervention,” the complaint argues, DOGE will have its hands on “highly sensitive data” including medical and benefits information of all federal workers with worker compensation or Black Lung claims, the identities of workers who have filed complaints with the agency, as well as Bureau of Labor Statistics data “crucial to an accurate understanding of the state of our economy.”

The complaint also raised concern that through DOGE, Elon Musk would gain access to details about DOL investigations into his corporate interests and his competitors.

The DOL has over 50 different systems containing personally identifiable information, according to the lawsuit.

‘Whatever They Ask’

The lawsuit claims that one DOL employee was instructed by department leadership to “do whatever they ask, not to push back, not to ask questions” when Musk and his team visit the agency or face termination, according to an affidavit submitted by the American Federation of Government Employees, one of the parties backing the suit.

“They were told to provide access to any DOL system they requested access to and not to worry about any security protocols; just do it,” the complaint said.

DOGE’s access to the agency’s systems would run afoul of multiple laws, according to the complaint, including the Privacy Act, which would require the agency to get consent from individuals if their records are disclosed to another agency.

The group filing the lawsuit includes the AFL-CIO, the AFGE, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, the Service Employees International Union, Communications Workers of America, and the Economic Policy Institute.

The CWA is affiliated with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, which represents employees of Bloomberg Law.

The case is AFL-CIO v. DOL, D.D.C., No. 25-00339, complaint filed 2/5/25.