CDC Issues Permanent Termination Notices to 600 Employees Amid Federal Overhaul

At least 600 employees of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are receiving permanent termination notices as part of a broad downsizing effort led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This follows a federal judge's ruling that protected some CDC staff in areas like reproductive health and environmental safety but left others vulnerable to layoffs. The terminations include about 100 employees from the violence prevention unit, drawing criticism since these cuts come shortly after a deadly shooting on the CDC campus. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing many CDC workers, has criticized the Department of Health and Human Services for a lack of transparency regarding who is being laid off. The mass layoffs are part of a Trump administration initiative that began in April to reduce staffing across federal health agencies by about 10,000 workers, aiming to streamline operations and reduce government size. Employees affected have been on administrative leave amid ongoing legal challenges, and many remain uncertain about their job status.