Latest news with #DepartmentofGovernmentEfficiencyWorkforceOptimizationInitiative
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
HHS says it will cut workforce by 10K, saving $1.8B annually
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will lay off about 10,000 full-time employees. The move is projected to save taxpayers $1.8 billion annually. What the department billed as a "dramatic restructuring" comes in response to President Donald Trump's executive order implementing the Republican's "Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative." HHS said it expects a total downsizing of between 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees when combining this latest effort with early retirement and the results of the Fork in the Road, the deferred resignation offer of full pay and benefits until September. Rfk Jr. Details First Baby Formula Review In Decades Amid Concerns Over Contaminants, Supply Chain "We aren't just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic," HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. "This Department will do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer." Read On The Fox News App "Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants," Kennedy added. "This overhaul will be a win-win for taxpayers and for those that HHS serves. That's the entire American public, because our goal is to Make America Healthy Again." Thursday's announcement is intended to streamline the functions of HHS. The department said the 28 divisions of HHS contain "many redundant units," and the restructuring plan will consolidate them into 15 new divisions, including a new Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA. It also will "centralize core functions" such as Human Resources, Information Technology, Procurement, External Affairs, and Policy, the department said. Five of the 10 regional offices will shut down. The reorganization of the department is also meant to implement "the new HHS priority of ending America's epidemic of chronic illness by focusing on safe, wholesome food, clean water, and the elimination of environmental toxins." Millions Spent By Biden On Covid 'Vaccine Hesitancy' Campaign Slashed By Trump Nih: Report The AHA – described as a "new, unified entity" – will encompass the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The department said the centralization "will improve coordination of health resources for low-income Americans and will focus on areas including Primary Care, Maternal and Child Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, HIV/AIDS, and Workforce development." HHS said transferring SAMHSA to AHA "will increase operational efficiency and assure programs are carried out because it will break down artificial divisions between similar programs." The restructuring is also meant to strengthen the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HHS said the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), responsible for national disaster and public health emergency response, will transfer to the CDC, "reinforcing its core mission to protect Americans from health threats." Notably, Trump earlier this week named Susan Monarez, the current acting director of the CDC, to hold that position permanently. Her nomination replaces Trump's original pick for the role, Dr. David Weldon. HHS said Thursday it will create a new assistant secretary for enforcement to oversee the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB), Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to "combat waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health programs." The department will also merge the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation (ASPE) with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to create the Office of Strategy "to enhance research that informs the Secretary's policies and improves the effectiveness of federal health programs." The department said "critical programs that support older adults and people with disabilities will be integrated into other HHS agencies, including the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), ASPE, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)." HHS said the reorganization will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services. Fox News' Kevin Gora contributed to this article source: HHS says it will cut workforce by 10K, saving $1.8B annually
Fox News
27-03-2025
- Health
- Fox News
HHS says it will cut workforce by 10K, saving $1.8B annually
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will lay off about 10,000 full-time employees. The move is projected to save taxpayers $1.8 billion annually. What the department billed as a "dramatic restructuring" comes in response to President Donald Trump's executive order implementing the Republican's "Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative." HHS said it expects a total downsizing of between 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees when combining this latest effort with early retirement and the results of the Fork in the Road, the deferred resignation offer of full pay and benefits until September. "We aren't just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic," HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. "This Department will do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer." "Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants," Kennedy added. "This overhaul will be a win-win for taxpayers and for those that HHS serves. That's the entire American public, because our goal is to Make America Healthy Again." Thursday's announcement is intended to streamline the functions of HHS. The department said the 28 divisions of HHS contain "many redundant units," and the restructuring plan will consolidate them into 15 new divisions, including a new Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA. It also will "centralize core functions" such as Human Resources, Information Technology, Procurement, External Affairs, and Policy, the department said. Five of the 10 regional offices will shut down. The reorganization of the department is also meant to implement "the new HHS priority of ending America's epidemic of chronic illness by focusing on safe, wholesome food, clean water, and the elimination of environmental toxins." The AHA – described as a "new, unified entity" – will encompass the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The department said the centralization "will improve coordination of health resources for low-income Americans and will focus on areas including Primary Care, Maternal and Child Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, HIV/AIDS, and Workforce development." HHS said transferring SAMHSA to AHA "will increase operational efficiency and assure programs are carried out because it will break down artificial divisions between similar programs." The restructuring is also meant to strengthen the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HHS said the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), responsible for national disaster and public health emergency response, will transfer to the CDC, "reinforcing its core mission to protect Americans from health threats." Notably, Trump earlier this week named Susan Monarez, the current acting director of the CDC, to hold that position permanently. Her nomination replaces Trump's original pick for the role, Dr. David Weldon. HHS said Thursday it will create a new Assistant Secretary for Enforcement to oversee the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB), Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to "combat waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health programs." The department will also merge the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to create the Office of Strategy "to enhance research that informs the Secretary's policies and improves the effectiveness of federal health programs." The department said "critical programs that support older adults and people with disabilities will be integrated into other HHS agencies, including the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), ASPE, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)." HHS said the reorganization will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado prepares for impact of mass layoffs on federal civilian workforce
DENVER (KDVR) — Thousands of federal employees across the U.S. are being laid off as President Donald Trump's administration shrinks the size of the federal workforce in an effort to minimize what he believes to be wasteful spending. Hundreds of Colorado's 57,000 federal employees are expected to be impacted by the layoffs, which are part of Trump's Executive Order 14210 Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative. The order outlines a reform of the federal workforce, prioritizing offices with functions that are not mandated by statute or other law. 'Real and immediate consequences for Colorado's economy': Legislators react to reports of US Forest Service mass layoff Thousands of Internal Revenue Service employees were laid off across the country last week, impacting over 100 in Colorado. Additionally, some 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees were laid off en masse earlier this month. It's unclear how many of those employees are from Colorado. On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis in a press release said the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the Statewide Workforce System are prepared to support Coloradans impacted by the job cuts. Job cuts are underway and more layoffs may be ahead. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has information on its website about reemployment support and unemployment insurance and resources for federal workers who have recently been laid off. The department encourages workers who are impacted by the job cuts to file unemployment claims online. The website has information about what is needed to file a claim, how to track a claim and next steps. Federal workers who continue to receive payment from their federal employer related to their resignation must report that income and may not be eligible for unemployment benefits during those weeks. Those workers can upload a copy of their deferred resignation letter when filing a claim. 'All workers experiencing a period of joblessness are encouraged to take advantage of the resources and programs available through the Statewide Workforce System to support them on their career journeys,' the department wrote. Unemployment claims rising more in Colorado than other states: Report The department said workforce centers statewide offer support for job seekers with search support and coaching, resume development, interview preparation, hiring events, training opportunities and more. Additionally, there are currently more than 60,000 job openings posted on Connecting Colorado, the state's labor exchange. There are nearly 500 open positions at various state agencies and the department encourages federal workers to explore careers with the state and consider benefits for retirement, medical and dental coverage, 11 paid holidays, flexible schedules and more. Federal employees who are laid off must wait until their last day of work to file a claim. 21 DOGE staffers resign over refusal to 'dismantle' public services CDLE's Unemployment Insurance Division lists these resources for new claimants: The UI Claimant Guide steps out all parts of the UI process including filing, weekly payment requests/certifications, benefit amounts, and more. The UI Quick Guide is an easy reminder of what claimants need to do to get started and maintain their benefits. The Maintaining Your UI Eligibility Page steps out all the requirements to maintain eligibility and receive benefits weekly. Most of the claim process can be handled through MyUI+, which now has a claim status tracker for claimants to monitor the status of their claim. For additional assistance, claimants can Contact the Unemployment Insurance Division. The department said there is a mandatory one-week waiting period before a claim is activated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
