Federal officials on Wednesday announced the revocation of layoffs affecting over 400 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leading to discussions about the potential reinstatement of entire teams that monitor viral hepatitis and other critical health sectors.
The dismissed employees were part of a significant reduction in force at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that took place on April 1, impacting thousands across the agency, many of whom remain unemployed.
According to an internal email from Dr. Renáta Ellington, acting director of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, 214 employees from her division are expected to receive rescission notifications regarding their termination.
Ellington highlighted that the division’s laboratories, which play a unique role in disease surveillance globally, had been completely closed, impacting vital research and public health efforts.
Furthermore, over 150 employees from the National Center for Environmental Health are also in line to be reinstated. This division, which focuses on areas such as asthma, air quality, environmental emergencies, and lead poisoning prevention, may see nearly all its staff returned to work based on accounts from current division employees.
In addition to these numbers, at least 95 workers from various other divisions of the CDC are also included among those who have received notifications of reinstatement.
HHS communicated the revocation of layoff notices through a series of emails sent Wednesday afternoon. However, the agency did not provide a clear explanation for why these retractions were made so long after the original notices were issued.
Previously, on June 11, many laid-off employees had been informed that their positions were deemed either redundant or unnecessary.
In her communications, Ellington confessed to her staff that she did not have insights into the factors influencing this policy change or which specific staff members were affected. She cautioned that the information being shared might not be definitive.
HHS has not responded to requests for clarification concerning the rationale behind the sudden reinstatement decisions. In April, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged that approximately 20% of the layoffs were unintentional, with some workers expected to be invited back.
By May, Kennedy had confirmed that 328 employees from another CDC division, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, had already been reinstated.
Reactions within the CDC workforce are mixed following the announcements. Some employees express enthusiasm about the prospect of resuming their roles, while others voice confusion and apprehension regarding the implications of the correspondence they have received.
Kathryn Sisler, a health scientist from the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, shared her feelings of cautious hope among her colleagues. “I think people are very tacitly hopeful that this means they can get their jobs back and continue serving in ways that they love,” she said.
However, Sisler also highlighted the instability that has characterized the agency’s workflow. She noted that the disruption caused by the layoffs had already impeded essential work focused on climate change effects on communities.
“Some states and localities decided to already start laying people off because they weren’t sure if the grants were going to continue,” Sisler remarked, emphasizing the detrimental effect on valuable data collection and utilization, particularly during the current heat season which can become life-threatening.
Reinstating the laid-off employees may also present logistical hurdles. Some former staff members, like Sisler, have relocated away from Atlanta, where the CDC headquarters is located, while others have sought new employment opportunities.
“It’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t feel like a victory that is on solid ground,” she concluded, reflecting a sentiment shared by many.
Employees from the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention verified that the hiatus in their lab’s activities had resulted in setbacks. They indicated that certain equipment requires repairs, and tracking of disease outbreaks was neglected during the workforce reductions.
Without assistance from CDC’s hepatitis lab since late April, health workers in Florida were unable to track new cases in an ongoing hepatitis C outbreak, as noted by another source at the CDC who remained anonymous due to concerns about retaliation.
Experts in public health mirrored the mixed feelings expressed by CDC employees regarding the recent announcements.
Carmen Marsit, an environmental health researcher and professor at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, acknowledged the implication of recognizing the importance of these workers for public health while also noting the ongoing concerns for those not reinstated.
“It’s great to see that there is some recognition of the importance of these workers and that being in those positions is critical for the public health of America and that they are being reinstated in order to continue their important work,” Marsit stated.
Yet, he pointed out that many others still face uncertainty with their employment status, highlighting the broader implications of the workforce cuts.
Scott Becker, CEO of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, expressed surprise at the HHS communication and shared concerns about the uncertainty faced by many affected employees.
“I am concerned about how many of the people have already moved on or might move on and the trauma that they really must be going through with the uncertainty,” he remarked. “But all in all, it’s good news and I’ll take it.”
As developments continue, the hope remains that the reinstated employees can smoothly transition back into their critical roles and resume efforts vital to public health in the nation.
image source from：https://www.npr.org/2025/06/12/nx-s1-5430893/cdc-employees-layoffs-revoked-hhs-hepatitis-lab
