ATLANTA — The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is inviting back about 180 employees less than two weeks after laying them off.
In a message obtained by the Associated Press, it said that “after further review and consideration,” a Feb. 15 termination notice has been rescinded and the employee was cleared to return to work on Wednesday. “You should return to duty under your previous work schedule. We apologize for any disruption that this may have caused,” it said.
About 180 people received reinstatement emails, according to two federal health officials who were briefed on the tally but were not authorized to discuss it and spoke on condition of anonymity.
It’s not clear how many of them returned to work Wednesday. And it’s also unclear whether the employees would be spared from further widespread job cuts that are expected soon across government agencies.
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The initial termination notice was sent to nearly 1,300 CDC employees last month, which is about 1/10 of the agency’s workforce. The affected employees were supposed to receive four weeks paid administrative leave, an official said, adding that it wasn’t clear when individual workers would receive notice.
The CDC is charged with protecting Americans from outbreaks and other public health threats. Before the job cuts, the agency had about 13,000 employees.
With 180 more people now being told they can return, the actual number of CDC employees terminated so far would seem to stand somewhere around 550. But federal health officials haven’t confirmed any specifics.
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock celebrated the reinstatements, but said it’s not enough.
“Today’s announcement is a welcome relief, but until all fired CDC employees are restored, our country’s public health and national security will continue to be at risk,” Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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