Judge sides with AFSCME workers to protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
AFSCME members will continue to be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program after a federal judge blocked the administration’s effort to unfairly disqualify certain government and nonprofit employers from the popular program.
The court’s June 30 ruling — in a lawsuit brought by AFSCME and others — ordered the U.S. Department of Education to abandon a rule change. That change would have allowed the administration to exclude organizations for political reasons and denied their workers access to the student debt relief program that makes college more affordable and attracts skilled workers to public service careers.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders called the ruling a major victory for public service workers and the communities they serve.
“We applaud the court for blocking this illegal, partisan effort to strip public service workers of critical debt relief,” Saunders said. “Countless public service jobs require workers to get degrees, leaving many in crippling debt even as they do the work necessary to keep our communities running. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is a promise that those who dedicate their careers to helping others will receive the backing they need.”
Saunders said the ruling ensures that “the door remains open for the next generation to step into these critical roles with confidence that they will be able to provide for themselves and their families — a major victory for communities nationwide.”
The ruling is yet another example of how AFSCME members, in solidarity with allied groups, are fighting back against the administration’s anti-worker policies and supporting the employees who deliver vital services that keep our communities running.
Read the court’s opinion here and learn more about the case here.
