Hundreds of CDC staff were fired late Friday, but many have since been reinstated due to a coding error in the layoff notices. The American Federation of Government Employees reported that around 1,300 workers received incorrect notifications, with approximately 700 being reinstated on Saturday and about 600 remaining laid off. Key affected groups include those working on the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report journal, the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Public Health Infrastructure Center.
The mistake was attributed to a coding error, which meant that employees who received the incorrect notifications were never separated from the agency. CDC officials, including Dr. Debra Houry and Dr. Brian Castrucci, have expressed support for reinstatement, with Dr. Nirav Shah stating that the cuts will make the country less prepared in case of future health crises.
The incident has raised questions about the legality of firing federal workers during a government shutdown, with some arguing that it was done to target employees aligned with the Democratic Party. The affected workforce includes over 4,100 federal workers impacted by similar cuts at other departments, including Commerce, Education, and Housing and Urban Development.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/12/health/fired-cdc-staffers-reinstated