The list of employees laid off by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs grew longer on Monday, as 1,400 probationary workers were let go.
That adds to about 1,000 employees laid off in the first round of VA firings on Feb. 13.
While an exact number of area layoffs is difficult to nail down, the firings have already reached multiple Tampa Bay region veterans’ hospitals.
“At least three” VA employees, including some at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa were laid off, WTSP reported.
That’s before the federal Office of Personnel Management emailed employees to name five things they accomplished in the past week, according to NPR.
ALSO READ: Mass layoffs at federal agencies prompt questions about Elon Musk's influence
WTSP also reported that amid confusion in federal agencies on how to approach the threat, Tampa VA workers were told to respond to that email.
At the same time, WGCU reported “several” people at the Bay Pines VA Hospital in St. Petersburg were also laid off.
Bay Pines VA Public Affairs Officer Medina Ayala-Lo sent an emailed reply to WGCU:
“The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System has dismissed a small number of probationary staff. This decision will have no negative effect on Veteran health care, benefits or other services and will allow VA to focus more effectively on its core mission of serving Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors. We cannot discuss specific personnel matters due to privacy concerns.”
Only “non mission-critical” employees were let go, according to a Feb. 24 news release from the VA, which said that includes “DEI-related positions, among other roles.”
It’s part of President Trump’s “workforce optimization initiative,” which empowers the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to increase efficiency and save salary costs in the federal workforce.
The order gives DOGE the power to work with agency heads to “large-scale reductions in force,” and holds that agencies “will be able to hire no more than one employee for every four employees that depart from federal service.”
VA secretary Doug Collins says the department will save more than $83 million annually, which he says will be rerouted to boosting veteran healthcare, benefits and more.
On Feb. 24, thousands of VA employees also returned to in-person work on Trump’s orders. While a limited number of workers are currently on temporary remote work agreements, everyone will have to return to in-person work by July 28.
Despite Trump’s federal hiring freeze initiated on Jan. 20, the VA says they’re currently hiring for 300,000 “mission-critical” positions.
