‘CBS News Got It Wrong’ Says HHS in Refuting Mass Firing Report: ‘No CDC Employee Was Terminated’
(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) called out CBS News in a social media post on Saturday, saying the outlet “got it wrong” in their report claiming there were massive layoffs on Friday at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
CBS reported on Friday that “nearly all of the remaining staff” at NIOSH were laid off, “gutting programs ranging from approvals of new safety equipment to firefighter health.”
NIOSH, part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and HHS, went through a round of lay-offs in April, one of many departments across government that have seen major cuts to budgets and personnel after President Donald Trump took office and put tech billionaire Elon Musk and DOGE on the task of slashing government spending.
NIOSH employees receiving layoff notices late Friday included some workers for the World Trade Center Health Program, miner safety, and firefighter health programs. Some workers for those programs had been asked to temporarily return to work for another month or two, after pleas from members of Congress.
Among the layoffs to NIOSH’s World Trade Center Health Program were nurses and scientists, two CDC officials said. Staff dealing with enrollment, member services and other administrative duties were also cut.
But on Saturday, HHS said that CBS News got the story wrong, and quote retweeted the article link from the CBS account on X, seemingly disputing the immediacy of the action.
“[CBS News] got it wrong,” the message said. “No CDC employee was terminated on Friday. A required notice was sent to NIOSH employees, following the agreed-upon standard process with the union.”
It went on to say that “Firefighter health and safety programs remain a top priority” for the department, as well as for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Trump.
.@CBSNews got it wrong. No CDC employee was terminated on Friday. A required notice was sent to NIOSH employees, following the agreed-upon standard process with the union. Firefighter health and safety programs remain a top priority for HHS, @SecKennedy and @POTUS. As the agency… https://t.co/4AZEIZv4vy
— HHS.gov (@HHSGov) May 3, 2025
“As the agency continues to streamline operations, the essential services provided by NIOSH will remain fully intact and uninterrupted,” the HHS message stated.
After the post from HHS, CBS updated their story with more information, including the following excerpt:
Laid-off NIOSH workers told CBS News that the department’s post was misleading, since workers represented by unions were still on the job until Friday, when they received letters from HHS informing them of the layoffs and that they would be locked out of the agency’s buildings.
At the time of publication, HHS has not posted a new response since that update.
