Summary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged that up to 20% of the 10,000 layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services may have been mistakes and will require reinstatements.
The cuts, part of a DOGE-led restructuring with Elon Musk, eliminated key programs, including the CDC’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch, stalling public health responses.
FDA officials confirmed some staff have already been asked to return temporarily, including teams handling drug and food inspections.
Just yesterday I heard testimony from federal workers: they got fired (possibly illegally). They barely had enough time to let the anger subside, put up their feet and crack a beer, when they got another email from their former employer: the firing was a procedural error. You’re still working for us. Come back monday morning or else.
edit: could’ve been mail, not e
Or else what? They are still fired? Strange way to manage anything
I’m sorry I don’t remember the exact phrasing. There was some sort of threat, based on the claim that they weren’t actually really fired.
edit: This was reported by the (ex-?)employees themselves, with the original text of that message.
Unbelievable.
Don’t you get locked out of your email when fired especially government ones? What happened to the people that were unable to check their employee email or just didn’t check it since they were fired?
Eating > pride.
They’ll go back until they find another job.