Management shifts course on workforce reduction; plans to reduce staff by 30,000 through natural turnover instead of layoffs.

Veterans Affairs Department Revises Workforce Reduction Plan

The Veterans Affairs Department (VA) has announced a revised plan to reduce its workforce, aiming for a decrease of 30,000 employees by the end of September. This change comes after the initial plan to reduce the workforce by over 80,000 employees, a plan that has now been revised.

The revised plan will achieve the reduction through attrition and separation incentives, not involuntary layoffs. This decision follows a wave of criticism, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., stating that the cuts would have a devastating impact on VA. Blumenthal attributed the cuts to a toxic work environment created by the Administration and DOGE's slash and trash policies.

However, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., praised the announcement of the revised workforce reduction plan. Bost stated that criticism of the plan was premature before its announcement. Secretary Doug Collins confirmed the revised plan following reporting by Government Executive.

The American Federation of Government Employees council suggested that the change in plans was a direct result of outcry and pushback. The union also expressed concerns that the revised plan would leave behind a workforce that is angry, resentful, and disengaged.

In addition to the workforce reduction, the VA is exploring additional reforms to improve operations. These reforms include centralizing support functions such as procurement, IT, and budgeting, and consolidating its 274 call centers and centralizing its payroll processing.

The department has already shed 17,000 employees since January, with another 12,000 employees planned to be cut through attrition and separation incentives. Some parts of the department remain under a hiring freeze, and recent meetings within the department have focused more on reorganization efforts rather than layoffs and workforce reduction.

It's worth noting that other major agencies are expected to undertake similar reform efforts as well. The VA's recent reform efforts may have been influenced by a similar effort recently undertaken at the Interior Department.

The VA's revised workforce reduction plan comes at a time when the department is facing increased scrutiny and calls for improvement. The department's ability to provide quality services to veterans is of utmost importance, and the revised plan aims to strike a balance between operational efficiency and maintaining a capable workforce.

The exact reasons for the change in the RIF plans of the Veterans Affairs Department in July 2022 remain unclear, as there are no relevant search results that provide information on this matter. Further developments in this story are expected to unfold in the coming months.