Federal Workers Bring Suit Alleging the Largest Data Security Breach in United States History
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, five federal workers filed a class action in federal court against the Office of Personnel Management, the Treasury Department, and several others for the egregious and ongoing disclosure of public servants’ names, addresses, Social Security Numbers, and other personal, sensitive information. As reported by The Atlantic, the unauthorized access of millions of federal employees’ personal information is the largest data security breach in United States history.
The federal workers are represented by the law firms of Tycko & Zavareei (TZ), leaders in class action and data breach litigation, and McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP (MSE), a firm devoted to protecting and enforcing the rights and interests of workers in both the public and private sectors.
According to the complaint, shortly after the 2025 inauguration of President Trump, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and United States Department of Treasury permitted associates of Elon Musk and his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” to gain access to sensitive and protected data without proper authorization and training. In doing so, Defendants OPM and Treasury Department willfully violated their long-held obligations under the Privacy Act of 1974. These willful violations exposed and continue to expose millions of federal workers to harm — including hacking, cyber-attacks, fraudulent activity, actual theft, and ongoing mental distress.
The affected workers are seeking monetary damages and other relief for these systemic and ongoing breaches of the Privacy Act. As Sara Faulman of MSE notes, “Millions of federal employees – individuals who have dedicated their careers to working for the American people – now find themselves at real personal risk because the government decided to permit DOGE associates to infiltrate the government’s data systems without meeting the qualification standards, safeguards, and training the law requires. Although there is no way to un-ring this bell, the government should take responsibility and ensure that these workers are properly compensated for the harm they have suffered, and will continue to suffer.” Andrea Gold, Managing Partner of Tycko & Zavareei LLP, adds, “Our country’s public servants deserve better. The government’s cavalier disclosure of this massive amount of highly sensitive personal information is tremendously harmful and we will fight to obtain full redress for our clients and class members.”
The case is, Nemeth-Greenleaf et al v. United States Office of Personnel Management et al., No. 1:25-cv-00407 in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
For press inquiries please contact Sara Faulman at slf@mselaborlaw.com and Andrea Gold at agold@tzlegal.com.