U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Implements Major Staff Reductions
The department is undergoing a restructuring that results in the layoff of 10,000 employees, reflecting ongoing government cost-cutting initiatives.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is facing significant staffing reductions as part of a restructuring effort aimed at budgetary efficiency.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the termination of 10,000 employees, following a previous round of layoffs that also affected the same number of staff members.
This move is aligned with broader cost-cutting measures initiated during President Donald Trump’s administration.
Notifications of termination were communicated via email early in the morning, with some employees discovering their job status only when attempting to access secured areas of the department, where their key cards were rendered inactive.
Among those impacted by the layoffs are notable figures, including several scientists and managers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the head of the Tobacco Regulatory Authority, who had been engaged in initiatives to regulate e-cigarette use.
Reports indicate that the affected head of the Tobacco Regulatory Authority was offered a position in Alaska as an alternative arrangement.
Additionally, some employees faced job offers in geographically distant locations instead of immediate layoffs.
The restructuring has led to the termination of entire departments, particularly those focused on chronic disease management and environmental health issues.
The overall workforce at HHS is expected to decrease from approximately 82,000 to around 62,000 employees.
Secretary Kennedy cited the existence of numerous "redundant units" within the department as a justification for these layoffs.
The planned reductions were developed in coordination with a budgetary advisory group that included tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the termination of 10,000 employees, following a previous round of layoffs that also affected the same number of staff members.
This move is aligned with broader cost-cutting measures initiated during President Donald Trump’s administration.
Notifications of termination were communicated via email early in the morning, with some employees discovering their job status only when attempting to access secured areas of the department, where their key cards were rendered inactive.
Among those impacted by the layoffs are notable figures, including several scientists and managers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the head of the Tobacco Regulatory Authority, who had been engaged in initiatives to regulate e-cigarette use.
Reports indicate that the affected head of the Tobacco Regulatory Authority was offered a position in Alaska as an alternative arrangement.
Additionally, some employees faced job offers in geographically distant locations instead of immediate layoffs.
The restructuring has led to the termination of entire departments, particularly those focused on chronic disease management and environmental health issues.
The overall workforce at HHS is expected to decrease from approximately 82,000 to around 62,000 employees.
Secretary Kennedy cited the existence of numerous "redundant units" within the department as a justification for these layoffs.
The planned reductions were developed in coordination with a budgetary advisory group that included tech billionaire Elon Musk.
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