USDA Mistakenly Lays Off Employees Working on Bird Flu Response

Several US Department of Agriculture employees tackling the bird flu outbreak were accidentally fired over the weekend, an action the agency is trying to correct.

Employees supporting the bird flu response and “other animal health priorities,” including veterinarians and animal health technicians, are exempt from the recent layoffs, an agency spokesperson said in a statement. Probationary employees across government agencies including the USDA were laid off over the weekend.

“Although several positions supporting HPAI were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working to swiftly rectify the situation,” according to the statement.

Widespread government layoffs have raised concerns ...