US Reverses Job Cuts at Safety Research Agency

On Tuesday, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesman confirmed that nearly 900 laid-off National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) employees were being reinstated. NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. These scientists, engineers, and other staffers were let go last April as part of the Trump administration’s reduction of the federal workforce.

“Reversing the proposed cuts to NIOSH is a positive decision for workers, employers, and public health,” said John Nothdurft, ISSA Director of Government Affairs. “NIOSH plays a critical role in protecting the health and safety of millions of front-line workers, including those in the cleaning and facility solutions industry. The agency’s research and guidance has been critical in helping employers prevent injuries, reduce exposure to harmful substances, and create safer workplaces for more than 50 years. ISSA will continue to support funding for NIOSH so that it can ensure the best available science is used to guide occupational health and safety policy.”

Last year, then adviser Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency drew criticism from firefighters, coal miners, medical equipment manufacturers, and others for gutting nearly 900 of NIOSH’s 1,000 employees, who aim to protect workers, the Associated Press reported. HHS had initially reinstated 328 NIOSH employees in May 2025 after legal challenges and political pressure. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had also proposed a budget that would eliminate around 80% of NIOSH’s funding, the American Federation of Government Employees said. As of Jan. 13, all terminations were reversed.