Over a dozen employees at the Boise Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and regional office were abruptly fired on Monday, part of a nationwide wave of VA layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The cuts are part of Elon Musk’s cost-cutting initiative under President Donald Trump’s directive to reduce federal spending.
What Happened at the Boise VA Medical Center?
- 14 employees were fired, with no prior notice, via an external email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
- Some of the dismissed workers provided direct care to veterans, including in the behavioral health acute care clinic.
- Employees say the firings are sowing confusion and lowering morale among remaining staff.
One employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:
“I get to talk to a bunch of patients now who are asking where that person is. It’s basically just sowing confusion and chaos.”
Nationwide VA Layoffs Under DOGE
Boise’s layoffs are part of a larger purge at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which has lost over 2,500 employees in February alone.
Breakdown of VA Layoffs:
- Feb. 13: 1,000 VA employees dismissed
- Feb. 26: 1,400 additional employees cut
The VA has justified these layoffs, stating that only “non-mission-critical” positions were eliminated, including some roles related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. However, employees argue that many essential workers were also let go.
Why Were These VA Employees Fired?
DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has been implementing mass federal layoffs, requiring employees to prove their productivity. Over the weekend, Musk demanded all federal employees submit a list of five things they accomplished in the previous week, warning that failure to do so would result in termination.
One VA worker described how their fired colleagues found out:
“They found out when they came in to work on Monday to fill out their five bullet points.”
Most of those laid off were probationary employees—either because they had recently started their VA jobs or had recently received a promotion.
Legal Challenge to the Layoffs
On Thursday, a federal judge in California issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from continuing these mass firings.
The judge ruled that OPM does not have the authority to fire probationary employees at other agencies, questioning the legality of these terminations.
This legal challenge could set a precedent for further lawsuits against DOGE’s handling of federal layoffs.
Concerns Over Veteran Care and Morale
While VA officials insist that veteran services won’t be affected, some employees worry about the impact on patient care:
- Fewer staff to provide critical care for veterans, particularly in mental health and rehabilitation services.
- Remaining employees under stress, fearing they could be next.
- Veterans left confused, as their usual contacts at the VA are suddenly gone.
A current VA employee expressed frustration:
“I know the people we lost were really good people, good workers. Hopefully, they’ll have an interest in coming back someday.”
