AFSCME Challenges Department of Labor Rule Allowing Privatization of Employment Services
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group, has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL). The suit challenges a new DOL rule, issued in August, that eliminates a long-standing requirement for federal Employment Service (ES) programs to be staffed by civil servants on a merit basis. The ES program, established in 1933, is a federally funded, state-administered initiative providing job-search and related services across the United States. Historically, the DOL has mandated that states staff these programs with civil servants to prevent political favoritism and corruption. AFSCME argues that this new rule undermines the ES program by opening the door to privatization, which they contend will lead to less effective services for job seekers and increased vulnerability to outside influence. The union asserts that studies have consistently shown civil service staff to be more effective in delivering these services compared...
