Federal workforce at CDC shrinks by 25%, with selected laid-off employees called back
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) are navigating through a period of significant change, with staffing shortages, reorganisations, and legal challenges making headlines.
A recent announcement by the Responsibility Group of the Central Hospital and Health Authority revealed adjustments to the implementation timeline of the hospital reform. The new performance groups and the reserve fee have been postponed until January 1, 2028, to ensure thorough evaluation and reliable allocation decisions, with financial impacts planned to take effect from the same date.
The CDC has been grappling with staffing issues since January 2017, losing approximately 24% of its staff during this period. Over 3,000 employees have left the CDC either voluntarily or involuntarily, with more than 500 retiring, around 180 taking a buyout, and over 400 taking a "deferred resignation" offer.
The CDC's hiring freeze remains in place through at least July 15, adding to the staffing challenges. However, HHS is taking steps to restore functions impacted by the Reductions in Force (RIFs). The re-hirings would support STD tracking and tracing, the HIV Medical Monitoring Project, the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, environmental health grants, and the Heat and Health Tracker.
HHS is also addressing concerns raised by states by calling 467 employees back to the Office of the Director, National Center for Environmental Health, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention, and the Global Health Center.
A lawsuit, brought by 19 states, is seeking to reverse all of the 10,000 HHS layoffs. The states argue that these layoffs would cause irreparable harm, a claim that HHS counters by stating that it is taking action to address these programs.
The CDC's reorganisation includes the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) being reorganised from an independent entity within HHS to a component within CDC. Meetings are occurring regularly to complete the merger of ASPR into CDC.
The staffing cuts have not been without controversy. One CDC employee claims that agency leadership is "in denial" that staffing cuts will harm programs and services. Multiple CDC employees dispute the Trump administration's argument that all RIFs should still be considered predecisional.
Arjun Srinivasan, a CDC official serving as the lead for the Transition Management Structure, stated that his team has to sort through 60 different challenges that arose throughout the agency from the reorganisation. Various agency leaders expressed challenges in executing new contracts, safely storing lab specimens, and dealing with the uncertainty caused by the folding of many offices into HHS' new Administration for a Health America.
Despite some rescissions, the CDC is still in the planning stages of implementing the layoffs. The controversial pause on external engagement ended in February, but multiple employees claim that most communications were only recently permitted.
The Supreme Court has been involved in the staffing issues, with an order to bring back the additional 400 employees who were fired during their probationary periods. However, these employees were mostly re-fired when the Supreme Court struck down that order.
In conclusion, the CDC and HHS are facing a complex web of staffing challenges, reorganisations, and legal issues. The future of these organisations and the services they provide remains uncertain as they navigate through these changes.
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