ATLANTA — Hundreds of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees are being allowed to return to work as of Wednesday.
A fired CDC employee says she’s happy for them, but she feels confused by the whole situation.
“It was always my dream to serve the public,” said Sarah Boim.
She told Channel 2’s Bryan Mims she worked as a health communications specialist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for one year before she went on paid administrative leave in February.
The government terminated her in May.
Boim helped found Fired But Fighting, an organization working to have all CDC employees rehired and to remove Robert F. Kennedy as Health and Human Services secretary.
She said she’s grateful hundreds of laid-off employees can go back to their jobs at the CDC.
“I’m so happy for them, but I’m also a little confused because the government decided these people were doing critical work,” Boim said.
She said these 460-plus employees couldn’t do their critical work for more than 70 days.
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services confirmed that notices went out Wednesday to these 460 or so workers, saying they could return to the CDC.
In April, about 2,400 CDC employees were laid off, about 18% of the CDC’s staff.
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The Department of Health and Human Services confirms these rehired employees are part of four divisions. They include the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention.
Employees reinstated also include lab scientists who track lead poisoning.
“For every public health position that’s lost, lives are at risk. So, multiply that by 2,000 just here at CDC. And you can see that we’re really in a dire situation,” Boim said.
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Andrew Nixon, Health and Human Services spokesperson, responded with a written statement, saying the nation’s critical health functions remain intact.
“HHS is streamlining operations without compromising mission-critical work. Enhancing the health and well-being of all Americans remains our top priority,” the statement said.
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