An unknown number of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees lost their jobs last week in a government workforce reduction. Among them were workers at the Veterans Crisis Line, which provides support for suicidal veterans, and staff at Vet Centers handling phone calls and administrative duties.
Over 2% of VA’s probationary workforce fired
More than 2% of the VA’s probationary employees were dismissed immediately. VA officials stated that these positions were not “mission-critical.” However, reports suggest that many affected employees played essential roles in veteran support services.
Crisis line workers among those let go
Several fired employees worked at the Veterans Crisis Line, which provides lifesaving support to struggling veterans. Some lawmakers, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), intervened to reinstate at least two crisis line workers. However, as of Wednesday, these employees had not regained access to their work accounts.
“These folks should never have been laid off,” Duckworth said.
Employee shares her devastation
One affected worker, an Air National Guard member, shared her experience on social media. She had worked for the federal government for nine years and was just 12 days away from completing her probationary period at the crisis line when she was let go.
“I am absolutely devastated. … Nobody, not even leadership, had any idea this was coming,” she wrote.
Government-Wide Workforce Cuts
- The federal government employs about 2.4 million workers, including 220,000 probationary employees.
- The VA has roughly 450,000 employees.
- Most VA workers were exempt from the federal hiring freeze announced on Jan. 20.
- Multiple agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Education, and the CDC, also dismissed probationary workers.
- The exact number of job losses has not yet been disclosed.
Impact on veteran services
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) warned that these layoffs were already harming veterans. Reported effects include:
- Operating room closures.
- Reduced intensive care unit (ICU) beds.
- Cuts to inpatient mental health facilities.
- Canceled medical appointments.
One veteran, Valerie Jackson, told a Norfolk, Virginia, news station that her mammogram appointment was canceled due to staffing shortages.
“It’s one thing to save money, but if people are suffering, is it really worth it?” she asked.
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VA secretary defends decision
VA Secretary Doug Collins defended the layoffs, stating they would save $98 million. He said the savings would be reinvested in veteran care.
“This was a tough decision, but ultimately, it’s the right call to better support veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors,” Collins said.
Fired VA workers speak out
One veteran who lost his VA job, despite receiving excellent performance reviews, said he had planned to build his career as a civil servant.
“I still want to be a federal employee. … It really brought me joy, especially working for veterans and Veterans Affairs,” he said.
Lawmakers Push for an Appeal Process
Blumenthal promised to fight for an appeals process for fired employees. He criticized the current system, pointing out that VA Secretary Collins now oversees both the Office of Special Counsel and the Office of Government Ethics after former officials were dismissed.
“It’s a clear conflict of interest and denies VA employees any effective right of appeal,” Blumenthal said. “We’re going to stand up for them.”
The full impact of these layoffs remains unclear, but concerns are growing over how they will affect veterans relying on critical services.
