WASHINGTON — More than 1,400 probationary employees in "non-mission critical" positions at the Department of Veterans Administration will be let go, according to a release on the VA's website.
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The dismissals will enable the VA to direct $83 million to benefits for VA beneficiaries every year, the VA said.
“These and other recent personnel decisions are extraordinarily difficult, but VA is focused on allocating its resources to help as many Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors as possible,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “These moves will not hurt VA health care, benefits or beneficiaries. In fact, Veterans are going to notice a change for the better. In the coming weeks and months, VA will be announcing plans to put these resources to work helping the department fulfill its core mission: providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.”
The VA also said it is hiring for 300,000 mission-critical positions that it says are "exempt from the federal hiring freeze."
Some of the roles targeted in these dismissals are Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) roles — a subject that the Trump administration has been working to eliminate from federal roles, government contractors, and other businesses.
The VA has about 40,000 probationary employees, most of whom it says are exempt due to mission-critical roles.
