The nation’s top public health agency says about 180 employees who were laid off two weeks ago can come back to work.
Emails went out Tuesday to some Centers for Disease Control and Prevention probationary employees who got termination notices last month, according to current and former CDC employees.
A message seen by the AP was sent with the subject line, “Read this e-mail immediately.” It said that “after further review and consideration,” a Feb. 15 termination notice has been rescinded and the employee was cleared to return to work on Wednesday. “You should return to duty under your previous work schedule,” it said. “We apologize for any disruption that this may have caused.”
About 180 people received reinstatement emails, according to two federal health officials who were briefed on the tally but were not authorized to discuss it and spoke on condition of anonymity.
It’s not clear how many of the reinstated employees returned to work Wednesday. And it’s also unclear whether the employees would be spared from widespread job cuts that are expected soon across government agencies.
The CDC is the latest federal agency trying to coax back workers soon after they were dismissed as part of President Donald Trump’s and billionaire Elon Musk’s cost-cutting purge. Similar reversals have been made among employees responsible for medical device oversight, food safety, bird flu response, nuclear weapons, and national parks.
The Atlanta-based CDC is charged with protecting Americans from outbreaks and other public health threats. Before the job cuts, the agency had about 13,000 employees.
Last month, Trump administration officials told the CDC that nearly 1,300 of the agency’s probationary employees would be let go. That tally quickly changed, as the number who actually got termination notices turned out to be 700 to 750.
With 180 more people now being told they can return, the actual number of CDC employees terminated so far would seem to stand somewhere around 550. But federal health officials haven’t confirmed any specifics.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last month pledged “ radical transparency ” at the department, but HHS officials have not provided details about CDC staff changes and did not respond to emailed requests on Tuesday and Wednesday. An agency spokesman, Andrew Nixon, previously told the AP only that the CDC had more full-time employees after the job cuts than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those who received reinstatement emails included outbreak responders in two fellowship programs — a two-year training that prepares recent graduates to enter the public health workforce through field experience and a laboratory program that brings in doctorate-holding professionals.
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock celebrated the reinstatements but said it’s not enough.
“Today’s announcement is a welcome relief, but until all fired CDC employees are restored, our country’s public health and national security will continue to be at risk,” Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday.
Millions of people have filed their 2024 tax returns and are now expecting refunds from both their home state and the federal government. Whether you’re preparing to file or looking for tools to track your refund, we’ve got you covered.
Getting the most out of your refund
Both at the federal or state level there are a plethora of tax credits and benefits that you will want to be sure to take advantage of if you are eligible.
Parents and guardians, for example, might be able to claim the Child Tax Credit, will is a partially fundable benefit worth up to $2,000.
Additionally, you will want to be sure to check and see if a similar benefit is available at the state level. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a total of sixteen states offer families a tax credit, in addition to the one available at the federal level which ranges in value from $25 to $3,200 per qualifying child.
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Utah
- Vermont
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can also help to lower one’s tax bill, and you should be sure to check your eligibility.
Free filing options
This year filers in more than half of all US states are eligible to submit their return for free using Direct File. The filing software was piloted last year and gives filers a free and trusted option to submit their returns to the IRS.
You can check your eligibility on the IRS' website and is an easy way to save if you typically purchase filing software.
What are the state tax filing deadlines for each US state?
In most cases, unless you have received an automatic extension from the IRS or your state tax authority due to a natural disaster, the tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Filing Deadline: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
There are a few exceptions:
- Delaware - Wednesday, April 30, 2025
- Hawaii - Monday, April 21, 2025
- Iowa - Wednesday, April 30, 2025
- Louisiana - Thursday, May 15, 2025
- Virginia - Thursday, May 1, 2025
For those in these states, the only deadline you need to worry about is the federal because their incomes are not taxed by their state government:
- Alaska
- Florida
- Nevada
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
How to file a federal and state filing extension
Need more time to submit your return? No problem.
At the federal level, you’ll need to request an extension, which will give you until October 15, 2025, to file. However, the extension only applies to your filing, not to any taxes owed to the IRS. In other words, if you have a tax bill due on April 15, penalties and fees could start accumulating before October.
According to H&R Block, most states don’t require filers to request an extension from the state tax authority if they’ve already filed for a federal extension and don’t owe any state taxes. However, it’s always a good idea to double-check the rules in your state before assuming you won’t be penalized for submitting your return later this year.
How to track your refund
The easiest way to track your federal tax return is by using the IRS' ‘Where’s My Refund' tool. If you file electronically, the IRS will provide an update on the status of your refund twenty-four hours after filing.
To track your state-level return, you will want to check with your state authority.