By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/photos-hundreds-of-hhs-employees-wait-in-a-line-stretching-around-the-building-to-find-out-if-their-job-is-gone Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter PHOTOS: Hundreds of HHS employees wait in a line stretching around the building to find out if their job is gone Health Apr 1, 2025 12:42 PM EDT As a biting spring wind whipped around them, staffers waited for as long as an hour outside the health department’s Washington offices to get scanned into the building. As many as 10,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs Tuesday and some are finding out as they try to enter the building that they no longer have jobs. Laid off staffers are being asked to immediately turn in their badges and cellphones at the door. READ MORE: Layoffs begin at HHS agencies responsible for research, tracking disease and regulating food One staffer waiting in line loudly joked: “Is this an April Fool’s joke?” Hundreds of Department of Health and Human Services employees waited in line in the cold on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters HHS employee Julie Siegel was denied access to the Mary E. Switzer Memorial Building and had her badge taken away on April 1, 2025. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters HHS employees hug each other as they wait outside the Mary E. Switzer Memorial Building. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
As a biting spring wind whipped around them, staffers waited for as long as an hour outside the health department’s Washington offices to get scanned into the building. As many as 10,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs Tuesday and some are finding out as they try to enter the building that they no longer have jobs. Laid off staffers are being asked to immediately turn in their badges and cellphones at the door. READ MORE: Layoffs begin at HHS agencies responsible for research, tracking disease and regulating food One staffer waiting in line loudly joked: “Is this an April Fool’s joke?” Hundreds of Department of Health and Human Services employees waited in line in the cold on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters HHS employee Julie Siegel was denied access to the Mary E. Switzer Memorial Building and had her badge taken away on April 1, 2025. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters HHS employees hug each other as they wait outside the Mary E. Switzer Memorial Building. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now