VA plans to lay off 80,000 employees

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plans to lay off 80,000 employees. The agency's press secretary, Pete Kasperowicz, said the cuts are necessary to better serve veterans. He emphasized that government jobs should focus on essential services. Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland criticized the layoffs, calling them a "great betrayal" of veterans. He accused President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, of using false claims to justify the firings. Kasperowicz responded, stating that those who lost their jobs were in non-mission-critical positions. He clarified that critical roles, like doctors and nurses, are not part of the cuts. Kasperowicz mentioned that jobs considered non-mission-critical include roles like publicists and diversity officers. He highlighted that these changes are meant to improve services for veterans. Some court rulings related to the previous administration’s layoffs show that proper procedures may not have been followed. A judge in Maryland ordered the reinstatement of some employees from another agency, the USDA, based on procedural issues. Kasperowicz also noted that laid-off employees had the option to accept a "Fork in the Road" offer. This offer would have provided them with full pay and benefits until September 2025 if they chose to resign. Van Hollen criticized this approach, arguing it contradicts the idea of government efficiency. While the legality of the offer is being challenged in court, a recent ruling allowed it to stand, but it did not address its legality.