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3mo ago

HHS Offers $25,000 Buyouts to Downsize Workforce

The Trump administration's push to reduce federal staffing includes voluntary separation payments for most of the Department of Health and Human Services' 80,000 employees.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. walks to the House Chamber before President Donald Trump addresses to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the White House on Feb. 26, 2025.
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shakes hands with US President Donald Trump after a swearing in ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025.

Overview

  • Most HHS employees, including those at the CDC, NIH, and FDA, received an email offering up to $25,000 to voluntarily resign by Friday, March 14.
  • The buyout is part of President Trump's broader efforts to reduce federal workforce size, led by the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk.
  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has signaled plans for significant staff cuts, stating he has identified employees he believes are not aligned with the department's goals.
  • Concerns have been raised about the impact of workforce reductions on public health, including responses to ongoing measles and bird flu outbreaks.
  • This initiative follows similar buyout offers across other federal agencies, with around 75,000 federal employees accepting a deferred resignation plan earlier this year.