Cuts at CDC cause concern for public health community
The Trump administration has handed out pink slips to nearly 1,300 employees at the Atlanta-based Centers for disease Control and Prevention. The grim news was announced Friday morning by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in a meeting with CDC leaders.
ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to lose nearly 1,300 probationary employees—about 10% of its workforce—as part of a broader federal decision to remove all probationary employees from the agency, according to the Associated Press. The move has raised concerns about its potential impact on public health operations.
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What we know:
The Trump administration has ordered the removal of all probationary employees from the CDC, impacting approximately 1,300 staff members at the Atlanta-based agency. These cuts represent one-tenth of the CDC’s total workforce, which stood at about 13,000 employees before the decision.
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CDC leaders were informed of the move during a meeting with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday. The directive was delivered verbally, according to a federal official present at the meeting. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the decision publicly, provided details on condition of anonymity.
Impacted employees are expected to receive four weeks of paid administrative leave, but it remains uncertain when they will be formally notified of their termination.
The employees affected by the layoffs are probationary staffers who have been with the CDC for two years or less. They are expected to receive four weeks of paid administrative leave, though the timeline for when they will be notified remains unclear.
A pedestrian wearing a protective face mask walks past the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S, on Saturday, March 14, 2020. Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images
What does the CDC do?
The backstory:
With a $9.2 billion core budget, the CDC is responsible for protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. The agency has long been regarded as a global leader in disease control, housing some of the world’s top experts. Currently, more than 2,000 CDC employees work in other countries, providing critical public health expertise worldwide.
The CDC’s workforce is highly educated, with 60% of employees holding master’s degrees or doctorates. However, most employees do not belong to a union, making them particularly vulnerable to sweeping federal employment changes.
Probationary status does not only apply to new hires—long-time employees who were recently promoted to management roles are also considered probationary and could be affected by the cuts.
What we don’t know:
Despite the announcement, several key details remain unclear:
- The timeline for when employees will be formally notified of their termination.
- How the agency will adjust its operations to account for the sudden loss of personnel.
- The long-term impact on public health programs and the CDC’s ability to respond to disease outbreaks.
Big picture view:
The CDC plays a crucial role in tracking and responding to emerging health threats, from infectious disease outbreaks to chronic health conditions. With the agency already stretched thin during global health crisis, the removal of nearly 1,300 employees raises concerns about its capacity to maintain essential programs.
While the Trump administration has framed the move as a routine workforce adjustment, critics worry that losing such a significant portion of staff—many of them highly trained scientists—could weaken the country’s public health infrastructure.
Reactions in Georgia
What they’re saying:
Sen. Jon Ossoff, who has spoken out before about the effect of President Trump’s actions on the CDC, says that the “indefensible, indiscriminate firing” of CDC personnel leaves Americans exposed to disease and devastates the careers and livelihoods of some the world’s most talented doctors and scientists.
Earlier this week, Sen. Jon Ossoff forcefully argued against the Senate confirmation of Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had publicly compared the work of the CDC to “Nazi death camps.”
In his speech, Sen. Ossoff urged his Senate colleagues:
Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock also posted on social media say, “Over 1,300 of Georgia’s best and brightest are losing their jobs because of the Trump administration’s reckless attacks on public health. Make no mistake—these firings mean Americans are less safe from future pandemics. I will do everything I can to fight this.”
Recent signs posted outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta celebrate the work of doctors and scientists with messages such as “We Support Public Health” and “CDC Saves Lives.” However, the atmosphere inside the CDC has been described as tense following news that the Trump Administration has decided to terminate several employees.
A veteran employee expressed the prevailing sentiment, stating, “The fear in the building is unmatched… and deafening.”
What will happen now?
What’s next:
The CDC must now navigate how to handle these massive staffing cuts while continuing its mission to safeguard public health. With uncertainty surrounding future hiring policies and budget allocations, public health experts and lawmakers will likely scrutinize the impact of these layoffs in the months ahead.
