On Friday, all staff members of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were informed about an opportunity to voluntarily leave their positions for a $25,000 payment, according to an insider. This information was relayed through a department-wide email, which referred to the proposal as a “voluntary separation incentive payment”. Staff members have been given until March 14th to respond.
This move is a part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce the size of the federal employment sector and lessen the government’s budget. This has been largely executed through the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk.
In February, over 62,200 job terminations were announced by federal agencies, pushing U.S. layoffs to reach their peak since July 2020. The previous week, a buyout range of $15,000 to $25,000 was proposed to staff members of the Social Security Administration.
The HHS, a large-scale department with over 80,000 employees, is responsible for several crucial health agencies. This includes the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Last month, numerous probationary workers across HHS, typically those with less than a year’s tenure, were notified of their impending termination.
The impacts of these layoffs and buyouts on the numerous challenges faced by the HHS and its new head, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., remain uncertain. These challenges include the handling of a bird flu outbreak that has led to a rise in egg prices, as well as a measles outbreak that has resulted in at least two fatalities.
In January, following President Trump’s inauguration, over two million civilian federal workers were provided the option of deferred resignations. This allowed them to receive pay through September without the obligation to report to work. Approximately 75,000 employees accepted this offer, which is now being contested in court.
This article was compiled with contributions from Alexander Tin.
