Willie Watson v. Neighbors Credit Union

# Willie Watson v. Neighbors Credit Union **What Happened** Willie Watson filed a complaint against Neighbors Credit Union, requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This federal law allows people to request documents held by government agencies. Watson sought records from the credit union and other defendants in his case. **What the Court Decided** The appeals court upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss Watson's complaint. The court found that the FOIA does not apply to Neighbors Credit Union or the other defendants involved. Because these entities are not government agencies, they are not required to provide documents under FOIA rules. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that private employers, like credit unions, are not subject to FOIA requests. Workers seeking information from private companies cannot use this federal law to force disclosure. However, workers may have other options to obtain records—such as state-level public records laws or direct requests to their employer—depending on their situation and location.