A federal judge has ruled against immediately blocking the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing systems at the Labor Department, despite concerns raised by labor unions. Judge John Bates acknowledged the unions' worries but stated they hadn't yet demonstrated concrete legal harm.

Elon Musk leads the Department of Government Efficiency. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The unions' lawsuit highlighted that the Labor Department possesses records of investigations into companies like SpaceX and Tesla, both owned by Elon Musk, who also heads DOGE. These records include information on worker safety violations and potentially sensitive data about competitors. The department also holds medical and financial records of numerous Americans, including those who have filed workplace safety complaints.

Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

This decision follows an agreement earlier this week that DOGE would not access Labor Department data until the court ruled. Three DOGE staffers are currently assigned to the Labor Department, reporting to the acting secretary. They are designated as special government employees and legally obligated to protect sensitive corporate and worker information during their review.

Elon Musk attends the opening of the Tesla factory Berlin Brandenburg. (Patrick Pleul/Pool Photo via AP)

The unions allege that Labor Department leadership instructed employees to comply fully with DOGE's requests without question. However, the Justice Department countered that there's no evidence of wrongdoing and the judge shouldn't issue a broad order based on speculation. This case comes amidst ongoing legal challenges, including lawsuits from nineteen states contesting DOGE's access to federal payment systems, and a recent judicial block on DOGE's access to sensitive Treasury Department records.