March 31, 2026
Media contact: Dorie Turner Nolt, dorie.turner@gmail.com, 404-861-1127
Washington, D.C. — American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 252, which represents more than 2,000 current and former employees at the U.S. Department of Education, has filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about working conditions at the U.S. Department of Labor offices.
The OSHA complaint concerns about 60 Education Department employees from the career technical and postsecondary education offices that the Trump Administration has forced to move to the Labor Department building under unlawful and inefficient interagency agreements. At least another 130 workers from the Education Department’s elementary and secondary education office could move to the Labor Department in the coming months under another interagency agreement.
“The Labor Department offices are unsafe and in disrepair, with water leaking from ceilings, mold in kitchens, extreme temperatures from a failing HVAC system, insect traps filled with dead bugs and live insects in lactation rooms and work areas,” said AFGE Local 252 President Rachel Gittleman. “These interagency agreements have sown chaos for states and grantees, preventing Congressionally mandated funding from going out on time and hamstringing federal employees who are trying to do their jobs on behalf of the public. This isn’t efficiency — Education Secretary Linda McMahon is creating confusion, eroding public trust, and harming students and families.”
So far, the Education Department has purchased new printers and a refrigerator for the Department of Labor, a waste of taxpayer dollars when the Education Department offices have functioning equipment and facilities. Education staff at Labor also have inconsistent internet access and do not receive safety alerts, which led to staff not evacuating the Labor building in a timely manner when there was a suspicious package.
“We call on the Departments of Education and Labor to immediately address these hazardous conditions and ensure employees have a safe, healthy workplace. We also call on Secretary McMahon to end these unlawful interagency agreements and return Education Department employees to their agency instead of continuing to defy Congress and federal law,” Gittleman said.
View video and photos of building conditions at the Labor Department:
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The American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 is the labor union representing more than 2,000 dedicated public servants at the U.S. Department of Education employees—fired, retired, and still fighting.
AFGE Local 252 
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