The new federal administration has abruptly fired thousands of federal workers and violated the rights of many more. In response, WorkLife Law is partnering with Rise Up, the new legal defense network providing federal workers with the free legal support they need. We will serve as a legal Backup Center to provide technical assistance to the defense network’s frontline attorneys on issues related to pregnancy, lactation, leave, and caregiving. WorkLife Law is proud to partner with Rise Up to ensure pregnant, postpartum, and caregiving federal workers have information and tools to protect their livelihood and health.
This legal defense network was formed to respond to the sudden crisis faced by federal workers–a need WorkLife Law is also encountering on our own free legal helpline. Our attorneys have been supporting a growing number of pregnant, postpartum, and caregiving federal workers denied workplace accommodations or unfairly terminated under DOGE. These calls too often resemble the experience of “Cara,” one of the callers we’ve assisted:
“Cara” is a pregnant USAID employee who received a termination notice less than a month before her due date. Cara faces losing not only her job overseas, but also her family’s home, her husband’s work authorization, and their entire support system abroad—all while preparing for a newborn and caring for their two-year-old.
Cara is just one of the thousands of workers facing devastating consequences from the assault on federal employees that has been harming pregnant people and family caregivers. Our team will continue to provide crucial legal guidance to these workers, both through our free legal helpline and the newly formed legal defense network.