CDC Reinstates Staff After Major Federal Layoffs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reinstating over 450 employees who were among 2,400 CDC staff laid off in April as part of widespread federal health agency cuts that impacted 10,000 workers across agencies. The reinstatements focus on staff from the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, and the National Center for Environmental Health, restoring programs like infectious disease surveillance and lead poisoning prevention. The layoffs were ordered under a Trump administration initiative, with support from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Public backlash, legal challenges from states, and protests by CDC staff led to lawsuits and judicial orders that halted further terminations and prompted reviews of the layoffs. Secretary Kennedy acknowledged that some layoffs were mistakes, and up to 20% of affected employees could potentially return. HHS has not specified the criteria for layoffs or rehiring.