Trump Administration Expands Effort to Reclassify Senior US Health Staff

Mintesinot Niggusie

The Trump administration has started removing civil service protections from hundreds of senior employees at the US Department of Health and Human Services as part of a wider restructuring of the federal workforce.

Staff across several HHS agencies were informed through an internal email that certain positions would be converted into a different employment category, according to Reuters. Employees placed under the new classification could be dismissed without the protections and appeal processes traditionally granted to career civil servants.

The measure forms part of a broader federal personnel overhaul announced earlier this year that increases presidential authority over government employees involved in policy-related work. The administration has said the initiative could eventually cover as many as 50,000 federal workers through the transition of positions from Schedule F to a new designation known as Schedule Policy/Career.

An HHS official confirmed the email was authentic but did not provide details on which agencies or roles would be included. The message indicated the first phase would affect several hundred employees, with additional rounds planned later.

Most of the workers targeted are classified at the GS-15 level, a senior rank within the federal system that includes policy advisers, technical specialists and supervisory officials.

The administration said no additional large-scale job cuts are planned at HHS beyond previously announced reductions. Labour unions representing federal workers have challenged the policy in court.

The administration has continued to pursue measures aimed at reducing the size of the federal workforce while increasing White House oversight of agencies, commissions and career staff traditionally insulated from direct political influence.