Layoffs Begin at US Health Agencies
Notice of Dismissal
Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in an overhaul ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government.
Impact on Health Agencies
National Institutes of Health
At the National Institutes of Health, the world’s leading health and medical agency, the layoffs occurred as its new director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, began his first day of work. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan last week to remake the department, which, through its agencies, is responsible for tracking health trends and disease outbreaks, conducting and funding medical research, and monitoring the safety of food and medicine, as well as for administering health insurance programs for nearly half of the country.
Restructuring Plan
The plan would consolidate agencies that oversee billions of dollars for addiction services and community health centers under a new office called the Administration for a Healthy America. The layoffs are expected to shrink HHS to 62,000 positions, lopping off nearly a quarter of its staff — 10,000 jobs through layoffs and another 10,000 workers who took early retirement and voluntary separation offers.
Cuts and Their Impact
Job Losses
At the NIH, the cuts included at least four directors of the NIH’s 27 institutes and centers who were put on administrative leave, and nearly entire communications staffs were terminated, according to an agency senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid retribution. An email viewed by The Associated Press shows some senior-level employees of the Bethesda, Maryland, campus who were placed on leave were offered a possible transfer to the Indian Health Service in locations including Alaska and given until the end of Wednesday to respond.
Ramifications
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington predicted the cuts will have ramifications when natural disasters strike or infectious diseases, like the ongoing measles outbreak, spread. “They may as well be renaming it the Department of Disease because their plan is putting lives in serious jeopardy,” Murray said Friday.
State and Local Health Departments
Funding Cuts
Beyond layoffs at federal health agencies, cuts are beginning to happen at state and local health departments as a result of an HHS move last week to pull back more than $11 billion in COVID-19-related money. Local and state health officials are still assessing the impact, but some health departments have already identified hundreds of jobs that stand to be eliminated because of lost money, “some of them overnight, some of them are already gone,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
Breakdown of Cuts
Affected Agencies
Union representatives for HHS employees received a notice Thursday that 8,000 to 10,000 employees will be terminated. The department’s leadership will target positions in human resources, procurement, finance, and information technology. Positions in “high-cost regions” or that have been deemed “redundant” will be the focus of the layoffs. The department on Thursday provided a breakdown of some of the cuts:
- 3,500 jobs at the Food and Drug Administration, which inspects and sets safety standards for medications, medical devices, and foods.
- 2,400 jobs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors for infectious disease outbreaks and works with public health agencies nationwide.
- 1,200 jobs at the NIH.
- 300 jobs at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Collective Bargaining Rights
Executive Order
At the CDC, most employees have not been unionized, but interest rose sharply this year as the Trump administration took steps to reduce the federal workforce. Roughly 2,000 CDC employees in Atlanta belonged to the American Federation of Government Employees local bargaining unit, with hundreds more who had petitioned to join in recent days being added. But on Thursday night, Trump signed an executive order that would end collective bargaining for a large number of federal agencies, including the CDC and other health agencies.
Conclusion
The layoffs and restructuring within the U.S. Health and Human Services Department are part of a broader effort to remake the agency, with significant implications for public health, medical research, and the administration of health insurance programs. The erosion of collective bargaining rights for federal employees has been met with criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who argue it will undermine the ability of civil servants to advocate for the public interest.
FAQs
Q: How many jobs are expected to be lost at the Health and Human Services Department?
A: Up to 10,000 jobs are expected to be lost through layoffs, with another 10,000 workers taking early retirement and voluntary separation offers.
Q: What is the purpose of the restructuring plan announced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?
A: The plan aims to remake the department, consolidating agencies and streamlining operations, with the goal of doing more with less.
Q: How will the cuts affect state and local health departments?
A: The cuts are expected to result in the loss of hundreds of jobs at state and local health departments due to the withdrawal of more than $11 billion in COVID-19-related funding.
Q: What is the impact of the executive order on collective bargaining rights for federal employees?
A: The executive order signed by President Trump ends collective bargaining for a large number of federal agencies, including the CDC and other health agencies, which is expected to reduce the ability of employees to negotiate for better working conditions and benefits.
