HHS Initiates Major Layoffs Following Supreme Court Ruling

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun the formal process of laying off thousands of employees, following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows the Trump administration to proceed with its controversial reorganization plan. This sweeping overhaul, spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., marks a significant shift in the agency's structure and operations.

Mass Terminations Across HHS Subdivisions

On Monday evening, thousands of HHS employees received formal termination notices via email, stating, "You are hereby notified that you are officially separated from HHS at the close of business on July 14, 2025." The layoffs, confirmed by an HHS spokesperson to both CNN and BioSpace, are expected to affect up to 10,000 employees who were initially informed of their potential dismissal in April.

The FDA is set to bear the brunt of these cuts, with 3,500 roles at risk. Other HHS subdivisions facing significant reductions include the CDC, which will lose 2,400 employees, and the NIH, where 1,200 jobs are slated for elimination. Secretary Kennedy, who has previously criticized the FDA as being a "sock puppet" to the pharmaceutical industry, unveiled this restructuring plan in March.

Legal Challenges and Supreme Court Intervention

The reorganization plan has faced numerous legal challenges since its announcement. In May, a coalition of unions, employee groups, and local governments successfully sued to halt the layoffs, with a California judge ruling that "agencies may not conduct large-scale reorganizations and reductions in force in blatant disregard of Congress's mandates."

However, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned this decision last week, finding that the government is "likely to succeed" in arguing that its overhaul of HHS is "lawful." This ruling paved the way for the current wave of terminations, which HHS cited in its communications to affected employees.

Ongoing Legal Battles and Temporary Reprieves

Despite the Supreme Court's decision, some legal challenges remain unresolved. A case brought in May by 19 states and the District of Columbia in Rhode Island has resulted in a temporary injunction, allowing some HHS staffers to retain their positions for now. Rhode Island Judge Melissa DuBose echoed the sentiment of the earlier California ruling, stating that "the executive branch does not have the authority to order, organize, or implement wholesale changes to the structure and function of the agencies created by Congress."

The HHS spokesperson noted that the current layoffs exclude employees who have been rehired and those covered by the Rhode Island court's injunction. As these legal battles continue to unfold, the full extent and long-term implications of this massive reorganization remain to be seen.