With reporting from Zachary Tracer, Brittany Trang, Lizzy Lawrence, Matthew Herper, Usha Lee McFarling, Eric Boodman, and Angus Chen
“Read this email immediately”
That was the subject line of emails that landed in the inboxes of thousands of workers at federal health agencies across the government beginning Friday and continuing throughout the weekend.
The news was not good: Recipients, workers who were still on probation at the Department of Health and Human Services and the agencies it oversees, were informed that they were being terminated for poor performance, even though many said they had previously received only strong performance evaluations. Though their employment was effectively terminated immediately, they were told they would receive 30 days of administrative leave.
“Unfortunately, the Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment at the Agency,” said multiple letters reviewed by STAT.
The total number of workers let go was unclear — senior officials had told STAT on Friday that as many as 5,200 might receive termination notices, though the exact figure is now expected to be somewhat lower.
There may have also been some reprieves. It was reported that the Indian Health Service was in line for big cuts; but those had not yet materialized. Likewise, members of the Epidemic Intelligence Service program, run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had been warned Friday they were to be fired, but by midday Monday none had received termination letters.
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