National Federation of Federal Employees is a labor union of federal government workers. Since 1999, it has affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).

In 2025, the AFT was among the plaintiffs in American Federation of Teachers v. Scott Bessent, which challenged the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to sensitive federal employee and veteran records under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The plaintiffs argued that disclosing such data would violate the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, putting highly sensitive personal information at risk. A federal district court initially issued a preliminary injunction blocking DOGE’s access, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit later reversed that decision, ruling that the plaintiffs had not shown a likelihood of success on all claims. As of of August, 2025, the case remains under further consideration. ¹

1. Lifke , Lauren, and William  J. Ford . “Appeals Court Lifts Injunction That Would Have Blocked Doge Access to Personal Records – Maryland Matters.” marylandmatters.org , August 13, 2025. https://marylandmatters.org/2025/08/13/appeals-court-lifts-injunction-that-would-have-blocked-doge-access-to-personal-records/.