**Why CDC Has Reversed Layoffs for Some Employees in the US**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Oct 12, 2025, 05:20 PM*
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reversed hundreds of layoff notices after initially issuing them to around 1,300 employees. This development comes amid the second week of the United States government shutdown.
The Trump administration has been moving forward with mass job cuts at the CDC, impacting entire offices and hundreds of workers. A crowd-sourced list from CDC employees revealed that several divisions, including the Washington office, were slated for closure.
### Layoffs Rescinded for Some Employees
While approximately 400 CDC staff members received termination notices, the total estimated job losses were around 1,300. However, by yesterday evening, 90 employees from departments totaling roughly 700 workers confirmed that their layoff notices had been rescinded.
Those reinstated include personnel working on the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report as well as early-career epidemiologists involved in outbreak investigations.
### Layoff Justification
President Donald Trump has blamed Democrats for the widespread layoffs, citing the government shutdown as the primary cause. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the CDC, stated that the cuts targeted “non-essential” employees.
HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon said, “HHS continues to close wasteful and duplicative entities,” emphasizing efforts to reduce governmental inefficiencies.
### History of CDC Layoffs
This is not the first instance where the CDC has reversed layoffs. Earlier this year, HHS managed the dismissal of 2,400 employees but rehired 942 of them later.
Public health experts have expressed concern that certain administrative stances may have contributed to declining vaccination rates and increased vulnerability to preventable diseases such as measles among children.
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The ongoing debate over CDC staffing amid government shutdowns highlights the challenges faced in maintaining critical public health functions during times of political and fiscal uncertainty.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/us-government-shutdown-cdc-reverses-layoff-notices-for-some-employees/story