The American Federation of Government Employees is asking a federal court for an emergency order to stop FEMA from restarting layoffs that began in early 2026, arguing the agency should keep a storm-related pause in place while litigation proceeds.
- Who filed: AFGE and other plaintiffs (names and full party list detailed in the court filings cited by Federal News Network).
- What they want: An emergency court order/injunction blocking FEMA from resuming workforce cuts while the case moves forward, according to Federal News Network.
- What triggered the request: FEMA temporarily paused the layoffs after last month’s major winter storm, and AFGE is seeking to prevent FEMA from lifting that pause, Federal News Network reported.
- What’s at stake: Potential reductions in force (RIFs)/layoffs affecting FEMA employees if the agency restarts the cuts.
- Where it stands: The request is pending before a federal court, and the emergency motion is intended to preserve the status quo during the lawsuit, per Federal News Network.
AFGE’s emergency filing comes as FEMA’s workforce posture remains under scrutiny following the initial round of layoffs earlier this year. According to Federal News Network, the cuts were paused in response to operational demands tied to the major winter storm, and the union is now asking the court to keep that pause in place until the underlying legal challenge is resolved.
For federal employees, emergency motions like this typically seek immediate, temporary relief—often framed as preventing irreparable harm—before a judge rules on the broader merits of the case. If the court grants AFGE’s request, FEMA would be barred (at least temporarily) from moving forward with additional layoffs while the litigation continues. If the court denies the request, FEMA could be positioned to restart the cuts on its own timeline, subject to any other legal or administrative constraints.
Employees potentially affected by a FEMA RIF or layoff should closely monitor official agency communications and any notices tied to position abolishments, reassignment options, or separation timelines. Workers may also want to review how RIF procedures generally work—particularly competitive area/level rules, retention standing, and appeal avenues—using a federal employment reference such as FedBrief’s RIF explainer (fedbrief.org) if needed.
Source: Federal News Network, “AFGE seeks emergency order to block further FEMA cuts” (Feb. 2026), https://federalnewsnetwork.com/litigation/2026/02/afge-seeks-emergency-order-to-block-further-fema-cuts/