STAT+: HHS firings could face legal challenges over inaccuracies, process used to make cuts
\n \t
\n
<\/BR>
\n
\n \t
\n
<\/BR><\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2014 A week after widespread cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services, many workers are left wondering: Was that legal? Some lawyers and labor experts say errors in termination notices and the swift speed and scale of the firings raise legal questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The reduction-in-force<\/a>, or RIF, brought the toll at HHS to 20,000 workers, according to government estimates. Some agencies, like the Food and Drug Administration<\/a> and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>, are believed to have lost nearly one-fifth of their workforce, impeding basic functions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lawyers and others who have watched the RIFs unfold say it\u2019s not clear if\u00a0 government officials followed the specific rules and processes required by law. A few key issues raise their eyebrows: The kinds of workers who were cut, the way the government drew the boundaries, and the drama unfolding at a critical appeals board.\u00a0<\/p>\n Continue to STAT+ to read the full story\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n