Labor Department Official Warns That Staff Who Speak With Journalists Face “Serious Legal Consequences”

Exporting data to Russia: OK.

Talking to journalists about things people should know: Illegal.

Then just add them to a signal chat, that's acceptable.

Not speaking with Journalists carries equally ownerous penalties, so...

They know the rules better than anyone, working conditions are protected points of discussion even under NDA and other legal matters pertaining to work

I get that sharing confidential info is not allowed, but a blanket "any unauthorized communication with the media" restriction sounds to me like a first amendment issue.

But also, ethically, employees should always report confidential info if it is a crime or otherwise threatens someone's livelihood. And I'm not sure what data the Dept of Labor would have that should not be reported publicly to tax payers (besides PII).