Former Employees of BMC Software, Inc. v. United States Secretary of Labor

**What happened:** Former employees of BMC Software filed for trade adjustment assistance benefits after losing their jobs. This federal program provides financial help and retraining to workers who lose jobs due to foreign trade or outsourcing. The Department of Labor denied their application for these benefits, so the workers took their case to court to challenge this decision. **What the court decided:** The court ruled in favor of the former BMC Software employees. The judge found that the Department of Labor was wrong to deny their trade adjustment assistance benefits and ordered that they should receive certification for these benefits. Additionally, the court awarded the workers attorney's fees and expenses under a law that helps people afford legal costs when they successfully challenge government decisions. When the government tried to get parts of the ruling changed, the court refused. **Why this matters for workers:** This case shows that workers can successfully fight back when the government wrongly denies trade adjustment assistance benefits. These benefits can provide crucial financial support and job retraining when companies move jobs overseas or shut down due to foreign competition. The ruling also demonstrates that workers may be able to recover their legal costs when they win these types of cases against federal agencies.