How did the Trump administration layoffs impact Justine Ballou personally?

Justine Ballou, a Department of Agriculture employee, received a termination letter just three days before her due date. This devastating timing meant her paid maternity leave was canceled, leaving her without this critical support after giving birth to her baby right on schedule. Beyond losing her job and maternity benefits, Justine faced the additional crisis of her health insurance being set to lapse at the end of the month. This created a perfect storm of challenges for a new mother - simultaneous loss of employment, maternity benefits, and healthcare coverage during one of the most vulnerable periods in her life.