Jessica Moldovan Featured in Hammer & Hope on Federal Employee DEI Termination Litigation

A recent article in Hammer & Hope highlights the real-world impact of widespread federal workforce cuts following executive actions targeting employees with even the most tenuous connections to programs that included diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The piece documents how nearly 300,000 federal jobs were slashed in 2025, with data showing that Black women were disproportionately impacted, representing roughly one-third of those laid off despite making up a drastically smaller share of the overall workforce.

The article shares firsthand accounts from former federal employees who lost stable careers, income, and benefits, underscoring the extremely broad economic and emotional toll of these terminations.

In response to these developments, Lieff Cabraser and co-counsel filed a class action lawsuit in federal court in December 2025 challenging these actions as unlawful. The complaint alleges that the administration targeted workers in DEI-related roles and, in many cases, extended those terminations to employees who had never worked in DEI at all.

Lieff Cabraser partner Jessica Moldovan, who represents the plaintiffs in the litigation, noted that the impact has fallen most heavily on women of color, particularly Black women, many of whom have come forward seeking legal recourse.

According to Moldovan, the government “went out of its way to bulldoze through” affected employees, raising serious concerns that the firings were not only overbroad but unlawfully targeted individuals based on protected characteristics and perceived political beliefs.

The complaint alleges violations of the First Amendment and federal civil rights laws, including claims that the terminations had a disparate impact based on race and gender. Plaintiffs are seeking reinstatement, back pay, and damages.

Read the full Hammer & Hope article: https://hammerandhope.org/article/trump-federal-work-force-black-women