Trump Administration Strips Job Protections From Thousands of HHS and NIH Workers

On June 3, 2026, President Trump issued an executive order that reclassifies thousands of employees within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), removing long-standing civil service protections and making them more susceptible to termination.

The order impacts roughly 8,000 employees across the federal government. By changing their employment status, the administration has placed these workers in a designation that makes it easier for them to be fired, which health policy experts say leaves them more vulnerable to political pressure from the White House.

Within the HHS, the reclassification affects staff who are responsible for shaping essential policies. These roles include those overseeing public health, federal health insurance programs, and the privacy of health data.

The executive order also reaches the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where it impacts certain workers tasked with the oversight of grant funding.

The policy implementing these changes is known as Schedule F. This designation dates back to the first administration of President Trump and creates a specific class of federal employees who, while not classified as political appointees, can be fired at will.

Health policy experts have characterized the shift toward a more politicized workforce as part of a broader objective of the Trump administration to redistribute power, moving it away from Congress and increasing the authority of the executive branch.