Supporters march outside the National Occupational Safety and Health Agency of the W.VA. Gene J. Puskar/AP Closed subtitles
After facing a massive pushback from the Labor Organization and Congressional lawmakers, the Trump administration has reversed the curriculum in some of the planned layoffs of federal health agencies that oversee workplace safety.
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) plans to lose at least 900 workers, who make up more than 90% of the entire institution’s workforce.
But federal lawsuits filed by coal miners and push from some members of Congress, including Republicans from West Virginia, seem to have prompted the Department of Health and Human Services to resume some key programs.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr.
Although he did not provide a lot of details, Kennedy did say the rehired workers were located at the NIOSH facilities in W.Va. and Cincinnati, as well as the World Trade Center Health Program, which serves first responders and survivors of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
"I welcome the return of some NIOSH scientists, but this is not the NIOSH that all American workers need." Dr. Robert Harrisondirecting the Occupational Health Program at the University of California, San Francisco.
He said the cuts continue to jeopardize the agency’s mission to keep workers safe in many other industries, from construction and agriculture to warehouses and restaurants.
"All of these workers need advice and protection from NIOSH," he said.
According to interviews with several NIOSH employees and internal emails from the agency’s directors, staff involved investigating workplace hazards, testing and proofing workplace hazards of personal protective equipment, testing and proofing personal protective equipment and addressing respiratory health.
"While we celebrate with those who received the HHS cancellation letter, I remember that others didn't," NIOSH director John Howard wrote in an email to staff on Tuesday. "I hope we can continue to make cases for everyone who restores Niosh."
Howard was first appointed to the top position in the institute during the George W. Bush administration and was later reappointed by President Barack Obama.
Kennedy brought back some NIOSH employees’ actions before two congressional committees on Wednesday, ahead of his department’s proposed 2026 budget in front of two congressional committees.
During both hearings, Kennedy baked the reasons for eliminating most federal agencies, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a exchange, Senator Andy Kim, Democrat from New Jersey It is clearly stated on the federal website.
"I don't know," Kennedy replied.
In response to Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper's loss of staff in Colorado and elsewhere in the West, focusing on the health risks of firefighters, Kennedy pointed to the need to reduce federal debt and said "many of the cuts we are implementing now are painful."
After notifying employees in April that they would lose their jobs, the Trump administration insisted that critical services would remain intact and be simplified as part of the HHS Chinese-New Agency created by Kennedy.
But Nishi's people Tell NPR This critical function has stalled due to huge damage. Even with some reversal of cuts, many others involved in researching and preventing toxic chemicals and workplace hazards are still defined as dismissal.
For example, in Spokane, Washington State and Pittsburgh, there are more than 140 employees who work in mining safety and research – everything from preventing mine explosions to machine accidents – have been cut.
“While I am more than happy to return to the (National Firefighter Cancer) team, the Alliance is determined to continue to advocate for the restoration of all NIOSH employees. All NIOSH programs are important to the health and safety of workers in this country.