Judge Denies Union Demand to Block DOGE’s Access to Labor Department Data

A federal judge on Friday night rejected labor unions’ push to block Elon Musk’s government efficiency team from accessing sensitive data at the Labor Department.

“This data includes the medical and financial records of millions of Americans,” [District Judge John] Bates wrote in a nine-page order. “But on the current record, plaintiffs have failed to establish standing.”

The government had argued that the union’s lawsuit was overly reliant on speculation and the claims of a single anonymous agency staffer.

Bates’ ruling clears the way for DOGE to begin examining dozens of Labor Department systems, including those that relate to workers compensation claims, workplace safety investigations and key gauges of the U.S. economy.