Some fired CDC employees told to come back to work via e-mail
ATLANTA - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reversed course on some recent layoffs, allowing about 180 employees to return to work. The reinstatement comes just two weeks after the workers were initially dismissed as part of broader job cuts affecting multiple federal agencies. However, questions remain about the total number of terminations and whether more employees will be brought back.
ORIGINAL STORY: CDC to lose nearly 1,300 probationary employees under Trump's job cuts
Read this e-mail immediately
What we know:
On Tuesday, the CDC sent emails to approximately 180 employees informing them that their termination notices had been rescinded. The message, with the subject line "Read this e-mail immediately," stated that "after further review and consideration," the employees were cleared to return to work starting Wednesday under their previous schedules. The CDC also apologized for the disruption caused by the layoffs.
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Those reinstated include outbreak responders from two key fellowship programs. One of these programs is a two-year training initiative designed to help recent graduates enter the public health workforce through hands-on field experience. The other program brings in doctorate-holding professionals to work in CDC laboratories. Before the layoffs, the CDC employed about 13,000 people.
Future remains uncertain
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how many of the 180 reinstated employees actually returned to work on Wednesday. There has been no official confirmation from the CDC or the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the exact number of employees who are still terminated.
Additionally, it is uncertain whether the reinstated employees will be spared from future job cuts. The CDC is one of several federal agencies facing broad reductions, and there is concern that additional layoffs could still take place in the coming weeks. Despite promises of "radical transparency" from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the department has not provided detailed information about how staffing decisions are being made.
Why CDC employees were let go
The backstory:
The layoffs at the CDC were part of a broader cost-cutting initiative under President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. Originally, Trump administration officials had told the CDC that nearly 1,300 of its probationary employees would be let go. However, that number was later revised, and it was determined that between 700 and 750 employees actually received termination notices.
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With Tuesday’s reinstatements, the estimated number of CDC employees still terminated is around 550. However, federal officials have not confirmed this figure or provided a clear breakdown of how many positions remain vacant. Similar reversals of job cuts have occurred at other federal agencies, including those overseeing medical device safety, bird flu response, nuclear weapons, and national parks.
Georgia senator says it's not enough
What they're saying:
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia welcomed the reinstatements but said they do not go far enough. In a statement Wednesday, Warnock called for all dismissed CDC employees to be reinstated, arguing that the job cuts put public health at risk. "Today’s announcement is a welcome relief, but until all fired CDC employees are restored, our country’s public health and national security will continue to be at risk," he said.
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Despite pledges for greater transparency, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have not provided specifics on the staffing changes. Agency spokesperson Andrew Nixon previously told the Associated Press that the CDC currently has more full-time employees than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic, but he did not elaborate on how the recent cuts would impact public health operations.
CDC's crucial role
Big picture view:
The CDC plays a crucial role in protecting Americans from public health threats, including outbreaks of infectious diseases, disaster response, and monitoring long-term health trends. The reinstatement of 180 employees highlights concerns about workforce stability within the agency, especially at a time when public health infrastructure is already under strain.
What's next:
It remains to be seen whether additional terminated employees will be reinstated. The CDC and other federal health agencies continue to face budgetary pressures, and there is a possibility of more job cuts in the near future. Lawmakers, particularly those representing Georgia, are expected to push for more transparency regarding staffing decisions at the CDC.