As several federal workers are shocked and anxious as the Trump administration is firing them, the probationary employees at federal health agencies within the department of health and human services received termination letters on Saturday evening.
In a bid to downsize the government, the Trump administration has fired several probationary employees. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that told agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force.”
The obtained letter stated: “Unfortunately, the Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment at the Agency.”
Jeffrey Anoka, acting HR head at Health and Human Services, signed the letters. A health official confirmed to CBS News that thousands of notices were distributed on Saturday, CBS News reported.
Employees on probation, typically those employed for less than a year, face easier dismissal compared to established federal workers.
Initially, over 5,000 probationary staff were targeted for dismissal, though not all received notices on Saturday. Some notices were distributed erroneously to staff not intended for termination.
Several agencies secured exemptions for certain staff members, particularly as opposition grew regarding cuts at organisations like the Indian Health Service.
The CDC’s epidemic intelligence service avoided the Trump administration’s final cuts. Programme leaders had previously warned health departments about potential 50% reductions in their ranks.
Other fellowship programmes faced different outcomes. The CDC’s Public Health Associate Program, which assigns recent graduates to health departments nationwide, was eliminated.
Additional affected agencies included the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and National Institutes of Health. A White House representative confirmed exemptions for CDC and FDA scientists, Medicare workers, and frontline healthcare providers.
“This isn’t a haphazard effort of us axing whoever we can ‘get away’ with axing for the sake of it. This is a calculated effort to streamline bureaucracy,” the representative stated.
