HHS officially lays off some RIF-ed staffers

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) staffers who received reduction in force (RIF) notices months ago were informed Monday that they were officially separated from the department after the Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration could move forward with layoffs.

Staffers who were initially received RIF notices in April received an email on Monday at their work addresses stating they were officially separated from HHS, with the message directly citing the high court's decision.

The Supreme Court last week ruled in an 8-1 decision that the Trump administration could resume its plans for mass layoffs, though a patchwork of injunctions means that some HHS employees are still exempted from the layoffs for the time being.

"On July 8, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Government’s Application to Stay the preliminary injunction, issued on May 22, 2025, by Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (Case No. 25-cv-03698-SI), which, at that time, prohibited HHS from further action on any existing RIF notices, including final separation of employees. Given the Supreme Court’s ruling, HHS is now permitted to move forward with a portion of its RIF," the email from HHS stated.

"Accordingly, you are hereby notified that you are officially separated from HHS at the close of business on July 14, 2025."

A court order in an ongoing lawsuit filed by 19 state attorneys general, however, blocked HHS from laying off some staffers. Earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose, a Biden-appointee, granted a preliminary injunction on the HHS layoffs after determining they were likely unlawful.

The injunction specifically applies to staffers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Center for Tobacco Products at the Food and Drug Administration; Head Start; and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

An HHS spokesperson declined to say exactly how many staffers were impacted on Monday.

According to Tim Kauffman, communications specialist for the American Federation of Government Employees, many of the employees who were affected likely don't know of their official separation from HHS as they have not had access to their work emails since being put on administrative leave months ago.

"Some employees don't even know that they've been terminated yet because they haven't gotten the notices. They're going to be mailed, I believe," Kauffman told The Hill.

He further noted that the emails made no mention of appeals processes or what other rights the staffers have in the RIF process.

"The folks we talked to with CMS management didn't seem to even know this was coming and they're not even clear, you know, which employees have been terminated because, again, there's no list," said Kauffman.