Thousands at U.S. health agencies, including CDC and FDA, were terminated after a Supreme Court ruling allowed HHS to proceed with reorganization plans.
HHS Proceeds with Job Cuts Across Federal Health Agencies
In a sweeping move following a recent Supreme Court ruling, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has officially laid off thousands of federal employees across multiple health agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and NIH.
Final Notices Issued After Court Decision
On Monday, July 14, employees affected by the layoffs received official notice via email confirming their separation from service by close of business. The move follows a long-delayed reorganization effort first announced in March and legally contested for months.
The Supreme Court’s decision on July 8 cleared the way for the agency to proceed with its planned reduction-in-force (RIF), which had initially been put on hold due to ongoing litigation.
Reorganization Plan Targets Over 10,000 Positions
Originally revealed on March 27, the HHS restructuring plan aimed to eliminate 10,000 positions, citing efforts to “Make America Healthy Again.” Departments impacted include critical divisions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Some previously terminated staff, including more than 450 employees at the CDC—among them the childhood lead poisoning prevention team—have since been reinstated.
Legal Protections Still Shield Some Employees
Not all affected staff are out of work. Several employees remain temporarily protected due to a separate court case, New York v. Kennedy, which challenged the legality of the reorganization. Judge Melissa DuBose of the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island granted a preliminary injunction earlier this month shielding specific units from the mass layoffs.
Divisions spared for now include the CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, the Division of Reproductive Health, and the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, among others.
Future Challenges Likely as Legal Battles Continue
Although the Supreme Court’s recent ruling permitted agencies to proceed with their staffing reductions, it stopped short of endorsing the legality of each department’s reorganization plans. Legal experts anticipate further challenges to the layoffs, particularly for divisions affected by Judge DuBose’s injunction.
Labor law experts suggest the administration may continue to face legal hurdles as it advances its agenda to reduce the size of federal agencies. Meanwhile, employees and unions are expected to push back in court, arguing that the abrupt cuts hinder the agencies’ ability to fulfill their public health mandates.
Broader Federal Cuts Underway
The Department of Education also issued layoff notices Monday, hours after the HHS announcement, citing the same Supreme Court ruling. Employees in that department are expected to be let go by August
Observers say the court decisions have emboldened the Trump administration to accelerate its plans to downsize government agencies, even as legal challenges remain unresolved.
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