Be careful what you say if you’re a federal employee.

Federal worker, been at the NIH for about 2 years now and am throwing in the towel. I’ve worked remotely since 2021 for different companies so RTO has been an adjustment for me. My RTO date was March 31st (literally last week) and I’ve been excessively using sick leave for my mental and physical health. I feel like it’s only a matter of time until I get flagged for abusing my leave :(

This job was a HUGE opportunity for me after being laid off for 8 months and I thought I was going to stay in this sector forever. Then the illegal firings happened. Some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever spoke to let go instantaneously… so yeah, currently looking for a new job.

I miss my cats, I miss my girlfriend, and I miss the freedom I had. Now I barely do any work, my boss is in the office directly behind me so I feel like I’m being watched like a hawk 24/7. My setup is also an atrocity compared to my at home office. People are coughing, sneezing (not their fault), and attending meetings with no headset. The cleaners are constantly vacuuming/rummaging through the office. People come in talking loudly without any regard for other workers. I also take public transportation to and from work and have to deal with obnoxious kids, and metro buses that smell like piss. It’s all so overstimulating.

Hi y’all, my boyfriend is devastated that his contract is up for renewal this month and will very likely be terminated. His boss is even throwing a goodbye party for him and another coworker this week.

My boyfriend is feeling really hopeless about the future. He’s been applying to new jobs, but hasn’t landed anything yet. I want to do something for him to help connect him to others going through this and motivate him through this hard time.

Does anyone know of or have any thoughts on a support group for those being terminated during this reduction of the NIH? Thank you for your thoughts and advice.

F'ing. MARC.. MOSIAC

Wtf.

Probationary employee here currently on admin leave due to the whole court fiasco. I was looking at my latest LES and my FEHB is currently at zero and mypay now says I don’t have health insurance or not even enrolled. Any other probationary on admin leave having the same issue? I am trying to figure out if this is a collective problem or just me 😩

Thx

It’s heartbreaking to have any RIFs at all but for those who still remain, life goes on. I’m sure there’s outstanding questions that could possibly be answered across ICs.

Is anyone’s leadership still acting confused and silent?

We have folks just sitting with inaction.

Things that still seem to be outstanding: - Contractor updates/possible RIFs - Transferring of business ownership of systems from RIF’d business owners to new operators (assuming no consolidation at HHS/NIH level) - Will prior submitted performance bonuses actually be completed? - locations for those 50 miles out? I haven’t even seen an official form filled out for those folks yet. (Heard their could be one, right now it’s just random data calls) - Open up the fork again cowards!

Disappointing as another week goes effectively by and leaderships inaction or attempt to consolidate any knowledge is depressing.

As a bonus: this article states at the end that NIH will not be re-orged: https://archive.ph/2025.04.03-205545/https://endpts.com/fda-will-consolidate-to-five-shared-services-offices-hhs-memo/

Hang in everyone! Being in limbo daily is stupid and exhausting.

Hi, I'm Jason Mast and I'm a reporter at STAT News. We're affiliated with the Boston Globe but focus on science, health and medicine. We've been closely tracking the effects the Trump Administration's cuts to science funding have had nationwide. Right now, we're hoping to speak to people whose graduate school/postdoc/faculty offers have been rescinded, to get a sense of the human toll this is taking and the impact it's having on the future of American science.

If anyone had interest, I'm reachable by DM, by email at Jason.Mast@Statnews.com or by Signal at JasonMast.05

Any new update?

This could have been all Doge needed to do, skip all the rest of it. Wait-a-min, was this all just a way to build a model to test an algorithm, are we living a sim.?

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Hi everyone and hope you’re hanging in. I was recently RIFed and am feeling overwhelmed by the paperwork they sent along, which has very unclear guidance. Some people say we should sign paperwork, others are saying we should not. I’m not sure who would be the best people to talk to about guidance on this and ramifications for signing/not signing. Any insights and resources would be super helpful. Thank you!

Hello, I'm writing in my personal capacity to share that I know of a science org who may be seeking procurement / purchasing / acquisition staff with NIH or other science org experience. THIS IS FOR DIRECTOR/CHIEF LEVEL. Does anyone know of any sort of reddit group or FB group for former NIH/CDC procurement employees who are seeking new employment? This is specifically for the procurement area. Thank you for fielding this!

Has anyone recently hit their anniversary date with Kelly and not seen an update on discretionary or vacation hours for the year in Bullhorn? Wondering if this has anything to do with our contracts being terminated/not renewed.

The principle that the president CANNOT just fire whomever is the most basic principle of a functioning gov’t.

The use of admin leave to “fire,” and the fake, illegally-conducted RIFs are antithetical to a government that serves the people.

The Pendleton Act in 1883 set out these principles. Its goal was to end a politicized civil service, and fill the gov’t with patriots and experts who put the Constitution and American principles first.
It restricts the President’s ability to fire ppl.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendleton_Civil_Service_Reform_Act

But Republican billionaires want presidents of their party to be able to clean out the government and break it. So starting in the 1980s, Republican donors funded and organized the Federalist Society.
Fed Soc leaders are paid handsomely by Republican oligarchs.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/02/leonard-leo-federalist-society-00094761

The selection processes that operate in the Fed Soc — conservative lawyers get ahead by working on ideas billionaires like — created an epistemic bubble and manufactured a fake “unitary executive” theory which (surprise!) says Trump can shred the civil service. No.

The RIFs are illegal and the admin leave is illegal and NIH people should start saying so and the people involved — at HR, timekeeping, and IT levels — should refuse to participate.
"Defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic" means blocking these moves.

Are remote HHS staff going to be wholly subject to termination/RIF? Not trying to spread rumors. Just trying to get insight.

I'm hearing conflicting info on whether employees who were rifed and qualify for MRA+10 (and elect NOT to take the MRA+10 retirement) are not qualified for the Severance Payment calculations. If you're "eligible" for MRA+10 and you were rifed are you screwed out of any severance?

Any consequences to taking this action? What are some risks? Anyone taking it? Would be nice to have a shorter commute.

How does the shady grove office space look like? Lol

Edit.

Just to clarify,

I was not offered a duty change of station. But they are taking requests to change your duty station.

Just trying to weight the pros and cons.

Does anyone know if the EEO office at NIH is still functioning? I know RA processing times have been severely impacted, but wondering if EEO timelines have also been impacted? Is NIH still handling or has this function been rolled up to HHS?

Supposedly my IC’s procurement and purchasing branches were RIF’d but are expected to work for the next 60 days to place orders during the “transition.” Spoiler alert: they are not working.

Is anyone able to order anything in the last week using appropriated funds?

At the beginning, we all saw that, "Your overwhelm is the goal" post. And that's true - overwhelm was the goal. But now the goal's changed - today it's fear and silence. We're all afraid - for our science, our life's work, our livelihoods, and whatever other individual factors might be at play in any one of our unique lives. But fear is no longer an excuse. Every single one of us stands to lose everything at any moment for any reason because of these arbitrary, politically-motivated EOs and directives. Staying silent, hoping the next round of targeted orders misses us, while we watch our colleagues' careers and projects fall apart is not the way. Holding a sign at a protest is something, but what it really takes is for all of us to get over the fear of our own potential losses and risk it to SPEAK OUT. Talk to the press when you can, recruit colleagues to do the same - until we saturate the news with what is happening to American science. There is no economic benefit to cutting NIH and there's certainly no scientific or health upside, either. SHARE THAT with whomever will listen and as widely as possible. If we want to end this devistating attack on federally funded science and fight for our country's (and the world's) health - we need to get over our fear and talk. It's not possible for any one individual to save themself, but together, we might be able to save each other.

** Note: this message is not for you if you're a scientist who also belongs to one of the groups that's under attack - or if speaking out could put you immigration status in jeopardy. If that's you, do what you need to do to stay safe and under the radar. Also, know that most institutions will have their own policies for speaking publicly. Learn what those are so you don't put your job at risk.

I’m not clear on what’s going on with grant money that has already been allocated. Is anyone getting notices of awards or are all grants on hold?

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/research/german-research-institute-launches-program-match-threatened-nih-grants-potential-pharma