Local employees of the Veterans Health Administration are beginning to see the fallout from the Trump administration pledge to fire federal workers.
At the Hampton VA, 12 probationary workers were abruptly let go this week. Another 55 workers were laid off at the VA in Richmond, according to unions and Sen. Tim Kaine.
In a joint appearance with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Kaine said he is being told by staffers that the VA also remains way behind in staffing new clinics scheduled to open in Fredericksburg tomorrow and in Chesapeake, which has been scheduled for April 11.
“They have short staff already, and so if you're short staffed and you're opening up to new clinics, it really raises the question of who will be in those clinics providing services,” he said.
Sen. Kaine and other Senate Democrats are demanding that the Trump administration disclose who is being laid off, especially the number of veterans. Roughly 30 percent of VA workers are veterans. At the Department of Defense, 45 percent of all civilian workers are veterans.
The VA has exempted 300,000 positions from a federal hiring freeze, which includes doctors, nurses and other positions deemed critical to patient care. At the Hampton VA, the workers let go appear to be support staff, which means they cannot be replaced under the freeze.
“One of the workers is a supply clerk. How do you run an organization if you do not have people delivering necessary supplies?” said Sheila Elliot, president of the American Federation of Government Employees local, which covers Hampton.
The VA did not respond to questions about how many people face being laid off in Hampton Roads or which positions were on the chopping block in the future.
‘“VA Hampton Healthcare System has dismissed a limited number of probationary staff this month,” said Walt C. Dannenberg, interim Hampton VA director, in a statement. “This decision will have no negative effect on Veteran health care, benefits or other services and will allow VA to focus more effectively on its core mission of serving Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors. We cannot discuss specific personnel matters due to privacy concerns.”
Under the federal system, probationary employees include people who were hired within one to two years. They lack some civil service protections. Some employees who change jobs or are promoted to supervisors can also be considered probationary.
In a video on the AFGE website, retired Army Staff Sgt. Alexandria Hunt relayed her experience being laid off at the Hampton VA.
“Walking into this building today, you would have never had me, in a million years, guess that I would be terminated without any notification,” she said.
Hunt said she first learned she was going to be fired when she tried to log onto her computer, when she was pulled aside by a manager.
“That hurts, because I connect with these patients here and these veterans on so many levels,” she said.
