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The Health and Human Services (HHS) Department has notified its workforce that approximately 10,000 employees will soon receive notices concerning layoffs, but specific details regarding the affected individuals or the timeline for these notifications have not yet been disclosed.
This looming uncertainty has created anxiety for the more than 80,000 employees at HHS since Thursday, when it was announced that the department plans to reduce its workforce by about 25%, with half of these job cuts occurring through what is referred to as reductions in force (RIF). Despite efforts from various departmental leaders to keep their teams informed, internal sources indicate that only a select group of senior political leaders are privy to the specifics of these plans.
According to a fact sheet from HHS, the layoffs are expected to impact various branches: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will see a reduction of 3,500 positions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will cut 2,400, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will eliminate 1,200 jobs, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will reduce its staff by 300. Inquiries regarding the delay in the distribution of layoff notices have gone unanswered by HHS.
Some employees had initially been informed to expect RIF notifications by Friday, but when those did not arrive, updates suggested they might be sent later that evening or over the weekend. As of Monday afternoon, no notices had been issued.
One employee familiar with the situation reported, “FDA leadership doesn’t know who will be cut. They didn’t have any input into these cuts whatsoever.” Similar sentiments have been echoed among staff at both the CDC and NIH, reflecting a broader concern about the lack of information and clarity surrounding the layoffs.
In advance of a general meeting at an NIH office, staff were advised to compile essential documents such as their personnel files and position descriptions in anticipation of potential access issues following layoff notices. Additionally, it has been communicated that employees affected by the RIF will not be allowed back on HHS premises, creating a practical need for some staff to take their laptops home daily to prepare for possible sudden separations. Unlike other agencies that have previously implemented RIFs and immediately placed affected employees on administrative leave, HHS anticipates that some workers will continue to perform their duties until their separation date.
At the FDA, discussions have been underway regarding the involvement of members from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who may assist laid-off employees in retrieving personal belongings and equipment from their offices.
The RIFs are anticipated to take effect on May 27, according to the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents a significant portion of the HHS workforce. However, this date may be adjusted, given the current delays in notifying employees. Typically, agencies are required to provide 60 days’ notice before separations come into effect.
Feedback from senior HHS officials reveals a consensus of confusion, with high-ranking directors indicating a lack of visibility into the reduction process. An HHS senior official noted that even human resources personnel at various agencies had not been informed about the layoff specifics, although the latest expectation was for notices to be distributed by Monday.
One official described the situation as “radio silence” and referred to it as “madness.” Previous reports from Government Executive have suggested that top officials were excluded from significant decisions regarding workforce reductions. For instance, at NIH, staffing directives were established through directives from the Department of Government Efficiency without consultation from the NIH or broader HHS personnel.
The planned layoffs are part of a broader restructuring initiative within HHS, which is expected to save around $2 billion annually. Secretary of HHS Robert Kennedy indicated that the department would consolidate from 28 divisions to 15. Centralized functions, including human resources, IT, procurement, external affairs, and policy, will be merged into the newly formed Administration for Healthy America, while regional offices will be reduced from 10 to 5.
New entities within the Administration for Healthy America will incorporate agencies such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The functions of the Administration for Community Living will also be divided among CMS and other offices, with additional restructuring affecting the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, which will merge with the Agency for Health Research and Quality.
As of Monday, the future of employees within these reorganized offices remains uncertain, and leadership has indicated they possess little knowledge about the impending changes.
In a recent letter to Secretary Kennedy, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, who lead the Senate and House Appropriations Committees respectively, criticized the HHS for acting unlawfully by not informing Congress about these transformations and disregarding recent funding laws for the department’s offices slated for cuts. They demanded comprehensive information regarding the RIF plans for each HHS subdivision and the anticipated impact of these reductions on the department’s mission.
“If these actions were genuinely aimed at enhancing the department’s capacity to fulfill its mission of promoting the health and well-being of all Americans, the department should be eager to provide additional clarity and justification for these measures,” stated Murray, DeLauro, and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin in the letter.
Employees have expressed their frustrations regarding the lack of transparency in the process. “We’re just all waiting to see what happens,” remarked one concerned HHS worker.
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