Washington: Thousands of staff members recently laid off from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its affiliated public health agencies may be asked to continue working temporarily, while others are being considered for reinstatement, officials confirmed Thursday.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged that several critical programs had been mistakenly affected during the mass layoffs and indicated efforts are underway to restore them.
“There were some programs that were cut that are being reinstated,” Kennedy told ABC News, highlighting a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program that monitors lead levels in children’s blood. “Personnel that should not have been cut were cut — we’re reinstating them, and that was always the plan.”
The sweeping reduction, which began Tuesday, targeted key health institutions such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDC, and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The aim was to cut 10,000 positions as part of a larger initiative spearheaded by President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to streamline the federal government and drastically reduce spending.
Laid-off employees received “reduction in force” notices, informing them they were being placed on administrative leave from April 1 until June 2. However, some FDA staff were instructed to retain access to their work computers, indicating they may still be expected to fulfill duties in the coming weeks.
Sources within public health agencies reported that the layoffs have already begun to affect operations across vital sectors, including avian influenza monitoring and pharmaceutical oversight.
“All employees affected by the reduction in force may be asked to temporarily work until their government service ends on June 2,” said HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon.
“This decision is focused on ensuring that the transition is as seamless as possible, minimizing any disruption to the agency’s mission and operations. HHS fully supports this approach, which aims to maintain public health services while managing the reorganization process effectively.”
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According to an internal communication obtained by The Washington Post, FDA leadership has been instructed to identify specific personnel who can continue their responsibilities during this interim phase.
Last week, Kennedy announced a sweeping restructuring plan across federal health bodies. The proposed overhaul includes the dismissal of 3,500 employees at the FDA, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at the NIH, and 300 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
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In total, the agency has seen a combined reduction of approximately 20,000 positions—including recent voluntary resignations—shrinking HHS’s workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees.
