Overview

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun issuing layoff notices as part of a plan to reduce its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 employees.
• The restructuring includes the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America, consolidating multiple agencies to streamline operations and reduce costs.
• Key public health offices, such as the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, have been significantly impacted, with staff reductions and canceled advisory meetings.
• State and local health departments face job losses due to an $11 billion reduction in COVID-19-related federal funding, further straining public health infrastructure.
• The layoffs coincide with recent federal policy changes, including the removal of collective bargaining rights for HHS employees under President Trump's administration.