HHS Initiates Mass Layoffs Amid Controversial Restructuring

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 ruling that allows the Trump administration to proceed with its extensive reorganization of the agency. This move, spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., marks a significant shift in the structure and operations of one of the nation's largest federal agencies.

Sweeping Job Cuts Across Multiple Agencies

On Monday evening, thousands of HHS employees received formal termination notices via email, effective July 14, 2025. The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring plan announced by Secretary Kennedy in March, which aims to eliminate approximately 10,000 jobs across various HHS subdivisions.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to bear the brunt of these cuts, with 3,500 positions at risk. Other agencies facing significant reductions include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will lose 2,400 employees, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where 1,200 jobs are slated for elimination.

An HHS spokesperson confirmed to CNN and BioSpace that the layoffs will affect up to 10,000 employees who were previously informed of their potential termination in April. However, the spokesperson noted that this figure excludes those who have been rehired and individuals covered by a recent injunction issued by a Rhode Island court.

Legal Challenges and Supreme Court Ruling

The implementation of Kennedy's restructuring plan has been met with significant legal opposition. In May, a coalition of unions, employee groups, and local governments successfully sued to halt the layoffs, with a California judge ruling that the reorganization was in "blatant disregard of Congress's mandates."

However, this ruling was overturned last week when the U.S. Supreme Court found that the government is "likely to succeed" in arguing that its overhaul of HHS is lawful. This decision paved the way for the current wave of layoffs, with HHS citing the ruling in its termination emails to employees.

Despite the Supreme Court's decision, other legal challenges remain active. Notably, a case brought by 19 states and the District of Columbia in Rhode Island has resulted in an injunction that allows some HHS staffers to retain their positions for the time being. Rhode Island Judge Melissa DuBose echoed 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."