The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made headlines once again by reversing its initial plan for widespread layoffs, choosing instead to reduce its workforce by approximately 30,000 positions through attrition by the end of fiscal year 2025. This decision marks a significant shift from earlier proposals that sparked concern among veterans, lawmakers, and advocacy groups. The move to avoid mass layoffs reflects both strategic recalibration and response to public outcry.
VA Drops Layoff Plan, Embraces Attrition Strategy
Initially, the VA considered a drastic reduction-in-force (RIF) that could have eliminated up to 80,000 jobs, roughly 15% of its 470,000-strong workforce. This plan, revealed in an internal memo earlier this year, raised alarms about potential disruptions to veteran healthcare and benefits services. However, the VA has now backed down on layoffs, opting for a less disruptive approach.
By leveraging a federal hiring freeze, retirements, deferred resignations, and normal attrition, the agency has already shed 17,000 positions since January and anticipates losing another 12,000 by September 2025. This strategy, described as a “VA cut of 30K through attrition,” allows the department to downsize without the upheaval of forced terminations. VA Secretary Doug Collins emphasized, “A department-wide RIF is off the table, but we’re not done improving VA,” signaling a focus on efficiency without sacrificing critical services.
Administration Scales Back Cuts Amid Public Pressure
The decision to cancel mass layoffs comes after significant pushback from stakeholders. Veterans’ groups, concerned about the impact on healthcare access, joined lawmakers in protesting the original plan. Critics, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, argued that the proposed cuts created a “toxic work environment” and risked unsustainable staff losses that could harm veterans’ care. The VA’s current approach, which avoids mass layoffs, reflects responsiveness to these concerns.
While the administration scales back cuts, the reduction of 30,000 jobs remains one of the largest workforce adjustments in the VA’s history. The department insists that safeguards, such as exempting over 350,000 mission-critical roles like doctors and nurses from the hiring freeze, will protect veterans’ services. However, some worry that even these voluntary departures could strain resources, particularly with the increased demand driven by the PACT Act.
VA Still Losing Jobs: What’s Next for Veterans Affairs?
While the VA layoffs have been reversed in their most severe form, the agency is still losing jobs at a notable rate. The 30,000-position reduction, though achieved through voluntary means, raises questions about long-term capacity.
The VA serves over 9 million veterans annually, delivering 127 million healthcare appointments, and any workforce reduction must be carefully managed to avoid service gaps. To address this, the VA is pursuing reorganization efforts, such as centralizing administrative functions and consolidating its 274 call centers into a single streamlined system. These changes aim to enhance efficiency and maintain service quality despite the smaller staff.
As the VA walks back layoffs, it continues to assert that veteran care and benefits will remain unaffected, but ongoing scrutiny from Congress and advocacy groups will likely shape the department’s next steps.
The VA’s decision to drop its layoff plan and pursue a 30,000-job reduction through attrition marks a pivotal moment in its workforce strategy. By responding to public and political pressure, the agency seeks to balance fiscal responsibility with its commitment to veterans. While the VA avoids mass layoffs for now, the path forward will require careful oversight to ensure that these changes do not compromise the care and support veterans rely on. The rollback of layoffs offers relief, but the challenge of maintaining excellence with a leaner workforce remains.