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VA terminates more than 1,000 employees
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Key Takeaways
- Over 1,000 VA employees were dismissed to save $98 million annually, redirecting funds to veteran care and services.
- Most probationary employees are exempt from dismissals due to mission-critical roles or collective bargaining agreements.
Most dismissed employees are non-union employees with less than a year in their position
VA lays off more than 1,000 employees: ©Jetcityimage - stock.adobe.com
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has fired more than 1,000 employees.
Those dismissed include non-bargaining unit probationary employees who have served less than a year in a competitive service appointment or who have served less than two years in an excepted service appointment.
According to the agency, the personnel moves will save the department more than $98 million per year. The VA says it will redirect the savings back toward health care, benefits and services for patients.
There are currently more than 43,000 probationary employees across the department, the vast majority of whom are exempt from the firings because they serve in mission-critical positions – primarily those supporting benefits and services for VA beneficiaries – or are covered under a collective bargaining agreement, according to the agency. VA employees who elected to participate in the Office of Personnel Management’s deferred resignation program are also exempt from today’s personnel actions.
The dismissals are effective immediately and have been communicated directly to each employee. As an additional safeguard to ensure VA benefits and services are not impacted, the manager in a dismissed employee’s chain of command can request that the employee be exempted from removal, according to the agency.
The dismissals are part of a government-wide Trump Administration effort to make agencies more efficient, effective and responsive to the American People. To that end, the agency says it is refocusing on its core mission: providing the best possible care and benefits to veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.
“At VA, we are focused on saving money so it can be better spent on veteran care. We thank these employees for their service to VA. This was a tough decision, but ultimately it’s the right call to better support the veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors the department exists to serve,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “To be perfectly clear: these moves will not negatively impact VA health care, benefits or beneficiaries. In the coming weeks and months, VA will be announcing plans to put these resources to work helping veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.”
