- Elon Musk's DOGE agency has been sued by over 100 federal workers and unions for accessing sensitive personnel data without proper security vetting.
- The lawsuit alleges Privacy Act violations and seeks immediate action to block DOGE's access to federal employee records, with plans for a broader class action to follow.
Over 100 federal workers have filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), alleging unauthorized access to sensitive personnel records.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Southern District of New York, aims to block DOGE's access to federal employee data.
The lawsuit was filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other privacy groups on behalf of 103 workers and various government worker unions, targeting Elon Musk, DOGE, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and OPM director Charles Ezell as defendants.
The complaint states that DOGE received "administrative" access to OPM computer systems without proper national security vetting.
Most of these Doge agents are reportedly under 25 and were previously employed by Musk's private companies.
The lawsuit specifically mentions 19-year-old DOGE worker Edward Coristine, known online as "Big Balls," who was previously fired from a cybersecurity firm following an internal probe into data leaks.
The plaintiffs argue that DOGE's access violates the Privacy Act, which restricts improper access to personal data across federal agencies.
They express concerns about potential professional consequences, noting threats from Musk and President Trump to fire employees deemed disloyal.
The complaint also warns that exposed financial data could make workers vulnerable to criminal hackers and foreign actors.
The current legal action, focused on securing an injunction to terminate DOGE's data access, represents "phase one" before a broader class action lawsuit, according to attorney Mark Lemley.
DOGE, OPM, and Musk's representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Edited By Annette George
