Laura Barron-Lopez:
Indeed, there has been significant disorder and uncertainty.
For instance, RFK Jr., the new secretary of HHS, verbally revoked the dismissals of over 900 employees from the Indian Health Service. This situation resonates with what we’ve seen at the Nuclear Security Administration, as previously discussed.
I had a conversation with one of the employees who was let go from the Nuclear Security Administration. While they managed to regain their position, this individual expressed that the firings felt callous, emphasizing that they chose to be a civil servant out of a desire to contribute to the country, even recognizing that the private sector typically offers better financial rewards.
It’s important to highlight, Geoff, that many workers across various agencies received identical termination letters indicating that their performance was deemed inadequate. However, many of those I spoke with felt this assessment was unjust, as they had received recent performance reviews indicating they were performing well.
