NEW YORK — This week, at least 600 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received permanent termination notices following a court ruling that affected some but not all employees. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents many CDC workers, reported this development, noting that several individuals had not yet received their notices.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not provide specific details about the layoffs but referred to a previous statement indicating that restructuring efforts aimed to make health agencies more efficient and responsive.
According to AFGE officials, around 600 CDC employees have been notified of their layoffs. However, they criticized HHS for a “staggering lack of transparency,” as they have not received formal information regarding which employees are being terminated.
Among those affected are approximately 100 employees who worked in violence prevention. This news comes just weeks after a tragic shooting incident on the CDC campus, where a gunman fired at least 180 rounds, resulting in the death of a police officer.
Some displaced workers expressed their frustration, stating that it is tragic to lose experts trained to tackle issues of violence at a time when their skills are most needed.
In early April, HHS issued layoff notices to thousands of CDC employees as part of a considerable overhaul aimed at significantly reducing the workforce in health protection agencies. Many employees have since been on administrative leave while legal challenges have unfolded.
A recent federal ruling in Rhode Island protected certain groups within the CDC, including those focused on smoking cessation, reproductive health, and environmental safety. Unfortunately, other divisions, including the freedom of information office and various violence prevention projects, are proceeding with layoffs. The affected staff had played key roles in international efforts to address violence against children.
“Losing these nationally and internationally recognized experts will create a significant gap in our ability to respond to violence prevention,” stated Tom Simon, a former senior director at the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention.
