HHS is offering employees up to $25,000 to walk away from their jobs, aligning with Trump’s goal to slash the federal workforce.
Secretary Kennedy is cleaning up in every way possible.
At a glance:
- HHS employees were offered voluntary buyouts of up to $25,000 to resign from their positions
- The offer was sent to approximately 80,000 HHS employees with a March 14 response deadline
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously mentioned having a list of staffers he wanted removed
- The initiative is part of broader Trump administration efforts to reduce the federal workforce
- HHS is the second-costliest agency in the U.S. budget, controlling 20.6% of federal spending
Trump Administration Advances Federal Workforce Reduction
The Health and Human Services Department has initiated a voluntary separation program offering employees up to $25,000 to leave their positions. This measure aligns with President Donald Trump’s commitment to reducing the size of the federal government and cutting excessive bureaucracy.
The initiative, approved by the Office of Personnel Management, targets HHS employees in surplus positions or those with obsolete skill sets. The financial incentive is available to most of the department’s workforce, including employees at major agencies like the CDC, CMS, FDA, and NIH.
“If you’ve been involved in good science, you have got nothing to worry about. If you care about public health, you’ve got nothing to worry about. If you’re in there working for the pharmaceutical industry, then I’d say you should move out and work for the pharmaceutical industry,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said recently.
Strategic Workforce Management Under Kennedy’s Leadership
The buyout offer is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to streamline government operations and reduce spending. HHS, which employs approximately 80,000 people, is the second-costliest agency in the federal budget, controlling about 20.6% of total spending for Fiscal Year 2025.
Kennedy has made no secret of his intentions to reshape the department, particularly targeting employees he believes may have conflicting interests. The voluntary separation program provides a mechanism to reshape the workforce without resorting to costly and disruptive involuntary separations.
President Trump has made his expectations clear regarding federal workforce reductions. “If they can cut, it’s better. If they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting,” Trump stated, referring to Elon Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency.
The offer for voluntary redundancy was made available immediately, with interested employees required to submit necessary forms by Friday at 5 p.m. This quick turnaround indicates the administration’s sense of urgency in implementing its workforce reduction goals.
On top of Making America Healthy Again, Kennedy is working to make it efficient.
