Erasing Need for Layoffs, VA Is Cutting 30k Jobs by End of Year

On July 7, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it’s on pace to reduce its total staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025. This will eliminate the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force (RIF).

According to the press release, the VA had been considering a department-wide RIF to reduce staff levels by up to 15 percent. Employee reductions through the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements, and normal attrition have eliminated the need for that RIF.

“The announcement marks a significant reversal for the Trump administration, which had planned for months to cut VA by roughly 83,000 employees, according to plans revealed in an internal memo circulated to agency staffers in March,” The Washington Post reported on Monday. “VA’s decision not to cut more of its workforce through an RIF comes after blowback from several veterans’ groups, Congress and VA staffers who warned that an agency with less manpower and fewer resources would negatively impact veterans.”

“Since March, we’ve been conducting a holistic review of the department centered on reducing bureaucracy and improving services to veterans,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement. “As a result of our efforts, VA is headed in the right direction — both in terms of staff levels and customer service.”