Federal Employees File Complaint Against Trumps Anti-Transgender Policy

Federal Government Employees File Class Action Complaint Over New Policy on Gender-Affirming Healthcare Coverage

A group of federal government employees has filed a class action complaint against the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) over a new policy that eliminates coverage for gender-affirming care under federal health insurance programs. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, acting on behalf of the plaintiffs, submitted the complaint on Thursday.

The OPM had previously announced in August that starting in 2026, “chemical and surgical modification of an individual’s sex traits through medical interventions” would no longer be covered under health insurance for federal employees and US postal workers. The policy change took effect at the start of the new year.

The complaint alleges that the policy is discriminatory on the basis of sex and seeks to have it rescinded. The plaintiffs are also seeking payment for economic damages and other relief. If the issue is not resolved with the OPM, the foundation plans to pursue class claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and potentially file a class action lawsuit in federal court.

Separately, Democratic state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to block proposed rules that would cut children’s access to gender-affirming care. The US Secretary of Health and Human Services has proposed similar rules, which would bar hospitals providing gender-affirming care to children from receiving Medicaid and Medicare funding and prohibit the Children’s Health Insurance Program from paying for it.

Source: Al Jazeera