(Thechieftainspear) – Thousands of employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been given the opportunity to leave their positions in exchange for financial incentives, as part of a broader initiative to reduce the federal workforce.
The offer, which could provide employees with payments of up to $25,000, was sent via email to a large number of HHS staff members, including those working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The voluntary separation program allows workers to begin submitting responses on Monday, with a deadline set for Friday at 5 p.m.
This initiative aligns with the administration’s broader push to scale back government spending. HHS, one of the most expensive federal agencies, operates on a budget of approximately $1.7 trillion, primarily funding Medicare and Medicaid programs that provide health coverage for millions of Americans.
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Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has previously signaled plans to streamline public health agencies. While he initially suggested eliminating hundreds of positions at NIH, his more recent comments indicate a targeted approach to reducing staff. “There are people who have made serious missteps, particularly in public health guidelines,” Kennedy said in a recent interview, suggesting that some employees would be let go.
The administration, with backing from billionaire Elon Musk, has made workforce reductions a priority, with thousands of federal employees receiving offers for deferred resignation in January. In addition, numerous probationary workers across various agencies, including HHS, have already been dismissed.
The timing of these cuts comes as the CDC is actively responding to a measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico, while lawmakers continue debating significant budget reductions for Medicaid.
Employees interested in the voluntary separation package have been advised to contact their local human resources office for further details on how to apply .
