{"id":78205,"date":"2025-02-14T14:04:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T14:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/02\/14\/va-dismisses-over-1000-employees-as-part-of-probationary-worker-purge\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:15:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:15:02","slug":"va-dismisses-over-1000-employees-as-part-of-probationary-worker-purge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2025\/02\/14\/va-dismisses-over-1000-employees-as-part-of-probationary-worker-purge\/","title":{"rendered":"VA dismisses over 1,000 employees as part of probationary worker purge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Veterans Affairs leaders<\/a> dismissed more than 1,000 employees Thursday night as part of a White House purge of government workers still in their probationary periods, an effort designed to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, VA Secretary Doug Collins<\/a> said the elimination of the posts will save roughly $98 million annually, funds that can be redirected into veterans\u2019 care and benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe thank these employees for their service to VA,\u201d he said. \u201cThis was a tough decision, but ultimately it\u2019s the right call to better support the veterans, families, caregivers and survivors the department exists to serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be perfectly clear: These moves will not negatively impact VA health care, benefits or beneficiaries. In the coming weeks and months, VA will be announcing plans to put these resources to work helping veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roughly 479,000 employees work in department health care, benefits processing, memorial services and program support jobs. Of that total, about 43,000 are still in their probationary period, having served less than two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\t