CLEVELAND — The federal government is quickly changing, and it’s impacting people in Northeast Ohio.
According to press releases published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), more than 2,400 employees have been dismissed since Feb. 13. Some 1,400 of them were fired on Monday, according to the VA.
Those dismissed include non-bargaining unit probationary employees who have served less than a year in a competitive service appointment or who have served less than two years in an excepted service appointment.
VA positions considered non-mission critical include DEI-related positions, among other roles.
There are currently nearly 40,000 probationary employees across the department, the vast majority of which serve mission-critical positions.
In the press release, the VA states the layoffs are part of a “government-wide Trump Administration effort to make agencies more efficient, effective, and responsive to the American people.” Those publications further claim the layoffs will save $181 million annually, which will be redirected towards healthcare, benefits and services for VA beneficiaries.
We spoke with state Rep. Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) on Monday about the recent VA layoffs.
He said, “The reality is with somebody like President Trump that puts America first, I'm very confident that we're always going to put our veterans first. Any kind of cut that comes in the VA, I think you'll really just see an opportunity in other places to provide that medical care and really provide a better product overall to the veterans.”
Since our latest report on the tidal wave of layoffs at the VA, I've continued digging into how it impacts the Buckeye State.
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For the first time, we’re now hearing from a former Cleveland VA employee who was fired about a week ago.
The former Cleveland VA employee we spoke with wishes to remain anonymous for fear of her safety and retaliation.
She said she worked at the Cleveland VA for seven months as a psychology technician. Her official job title was psychometrist, but she also provided neuropsychology services. She was a probationary employee.
“I administered and scored neuropsychological testing for individuals with neurological conditions, things such as stroke, concussion, TBI, PTSD,” she said.
She said she also frequently worked with patients with dementia.
This former employee said she started working at the VA to help serve those who served their country.
“I was really excited to work with our veterans,” she shared.
But on Feb. 24 at 4:09 p.m., she received an email from the Chief Human Capital Officer saying she was fired effective immediately.
She said despite a recent five-star performance review from her supervisors, the termination email states:
Unfortunately, the Agency finds that your performance has not met the burden to demonstrate that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest.
“Did any of your supervisors know that this was coming?,” I asked her.
“They had absolutely no idea,” she responded. “We were told we were patient-facing and direct patient care, and we wouldn't be affected, but then I was sitting at my computer and filing through some emails. All of a sudden it came through and I opened it and didn't even realize what it was. I started reading it and immediately started shaking and didn't even comprehend that this was actually happening.”
Even a week after her firing, she said she still feels like she’s grieving “such a loss of what I was able to give to the community.”
She even had a patient scheduled for testing on Tuesday.
“I offered to come in on Tuesday and still work with my patient because I had already prepped and was ready to work with them. [The testing] is a four-hour long process. I had already prepped and was ready to go for this patient and so the fact that I wasn't having the opportunity to work with that veteran like I was so disappointed and so upset but I was willing to come in and still do it anyway,” she stated.
While the VA has previously stated only non-mission-critical employees were laid off, she says her position as a psychometrist is one of two at the Cleveland VA.
The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System confirms both have been eliminated.
“They know that it's mission critical. My series code is specific. The series code that I have was never listed as part of the exemptionary codes for either the designated resignation program or for the hiring freezes. Our codes were never listed, and so it made us an easy target. Unfortunately, that made us vulnerable,” the former Cleveland VA psychometrist told me.
She fears that without her position and expertise readily available, veterans will suffer.
“When I first started back in June, our waitlist was upwards of five months. When we were terminated, we had it down to about two weeks. I think that's pretty substantial in how critical our roles were and what we were able to accomplish in our roles,” she explained.
I reached out to the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System regarding the terminated psychometrists on Monday and how those services will be impacted.
“We’ve reassigned these duties to other employees and there has been no negative impact on Veteran health care, benefits or other services,” a spokesperson said.
“Does that make you feel any better?,” I asked the former Cleveland VA psychometrist.
“No, not really. I know that all of the people I worked with are competent and capable and 1000% able to take care of those veterans. I also know they have other work. I was a technician for a reason. I have a special skillset that I'm able to bring to the table. I have a master's degree and have this training to be able to do these things. I'm board certified in what I do. It's just going to add a lot more time and elongate what the doctors are already having to do,” she stated.
According to an Office of Inspector General report regarding severe occupational staffing shortages for the 2024 fiscal year in VA, the Northeast Ohio Healthcare System in Cleveland is already struggling in the psychology department.
The report also lists psychiatry as having a severe staffing shortage.
But the former Cleveland VA employee said the facility was looking to add a third psychometrist.
“They were approved to get a third technician. They were having openings for other psychologists and other people within the service. That was something that was really important to continue on and bring in,” she stated.
She told me her supervisors are working to reinstate her position and bring her back on board, but so far, she hasn’t received any updates. The goal for her is to get back to the Cleveland VA, though.
As I reached out to the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System a handful of times this week, I continued asking for definitive numbers as to how many VA employees in Ohio, and more specifically Northeast Ohio, have been recently fired. I also asked for an explanation as to how the position of a psychometrist was not “mission-critical” and what other positions have been eliminated.
None of those questions were answered.
The department's full statement is: "Northeast Ohio Healthcare System last week dismissed a small number of probationary staff, including two psychometrists, whose job was to issue standardized tests to patients. We’ve reassigned these duties to other employees and there has been no negative impact on Veteran health care, benefits or other services."
When I asked why definitive numbers aren’t being provided and for an answer to the questions remaining, a spokesperson told me, “We stand by our previous response at this time.”
“It's a hard balance because I know they're trying to do it to protect themselves, but at the same time, what I did and what my role is, is so important. I wish they would say something,” the former Cleveland VA psychometrist told me.
While the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System refuses to answer our questions, the former Cleveland VA psychometrist said she’s heard from others at the facility that a total of 43 employees have been fired from the Cleveland VA alone.
The former Cleveland VA employee urges others who were impacted to share their story.
"It's really important that people know it's impacting veteran care, that it will impact veteran care in the long run, and that what happened was unjust," she said. "I think people need to see that this happening."
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