Human Rights Campaign Foundation Launches Class Action Against Trump Administration on Behalf of Federal Workers and their Families Over Loss of Gender-Affirming Healthcare[...]

WASHINGTON - Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation initiated litigation against the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on behalf of federal employees and their families. The matter has been filed on a class basis in response to an OPM Carrier Letter directing insurance providers to deny coverage for gender affirming care under the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) plans.

As a result, federal employees and their dependents will lose their insurance coverage for vital healthcare starting today, potentially placing care out of reach for many people solely because of who they are. Transgender people continue to face numerous barriers to access best-practice, potentially life-saving medical care, and this move represents just the latest attack from a Trump administration obsessed with undermining the rights and freedoms of transgender people.

"Starting today, untold numbers of federal employees and their families will be left out to dry at the hands of a shameless administration hell-bent on targeting the transgender community. This policy is not about cost or care - it is about driving transgender people and people with transgender spouses, children, and dependents out of the federal workforce," said Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Kelley Robinson. "These federal employees will now be forced into an impossible situation that pits them between their jobs and access to the care they need. That is discrimination, plain and simple, and the HRC Foundation refuses to let it stand without a fight. Our litigation seeks to honor those federal workers and preserve the rights, respect, and dignity they deserve."

The filing with OPM asserts that excluding coverage for gender-affirming healthcare in the FEHB and PSHB programs is in violation of Title VII. The claims are based on Title VII's protections against discrimination based on sex, which apply to the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

"No Federal employee should be discriminated against in health care or otherwise. The law protects them," said Cathy Harris of Correia and Puth.

To receive updates on the case, visit https://www.hrc.org/fehp-class-action.

Benefits of Transgender Medical Care:

For many people, medical care for purposes of gender transition is medically necessary care that is supported by every major medical and mental health organization as best-practice medicine - including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. Research has consistently found that the receipt of gender-affirming care can significantly improve the lives of people who receive it.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation's largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 3.6 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action-working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.

Correia & Puth, PLLC is a civil rights law firm based in the District of Columbia dedicated to representing individuals confronting discrimination, retaliation, and unfair treatment. The lawyers of Correia & Puth are staunch advocates for individuals who face discrimination in the workplace, schools, healthcare settings, and other places of public accommodation. For more information, visit https://correiaputh.com/.