HHS Implements 10,000 Layoffs as Trump Administration Restructures Agency
The Department of Health and Human Services reduces its workforce by 20% to save $1.8 billion annually, sparking protests and legal challenges over the potential impact on public health.
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began laying off 10,000 employees on April 1, reducing its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 as part of a major restructuring plan.
- The layoffs aim to consolidate 28 departments into 15 and establish a new unit, the Administration for a Healthy America, focused on chronic disease prevention.
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy JrElon Musk have led the restructuring effort, which is projected to save $1.8 billion annually.
- Critics warn the cuts could harm public health, as high-ranking officials and scientists from agencies like the CDC and FDA are affected, with some offered remote positions in Alaska and Oklahoma.
- Protests and lawsuits are escalating, challenging the legality of the layoffs and raising concerns about the disruption of essential health services.
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