VA Scales Back Planned Workforce Cuts to 30,000

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will reduce its workforce by about 30,000 employees through voluntary retirements, resignations, and attrition by the end of September, scaling back from an originally planned 80,000 job cuts due to opposition from veterans' groups, Democrats, and some Republicans. The VA confirmed that a department-wide reduction-in-force (RIF) is no longer under consideration. These cuts are being managed through a hiring freeze, deferred resignations, and early retirement programs, with no expected impact on mission-critical positions or veterans’ benefits and care. VA Secretary Doug Collins stated the reductions aim to cut bureaucracy and improve services, and that no further major staffing changes are currently planned. The agency has already lost about 17,000 jobs since January and anticipates another 12,000 departures by September. Despite reassurances, some employees remain concerned about morale and potential service impacts as the VA continues to consolidate administrative functions for efficiency.