Editor's note: This story is posted with permission from the anonymous federal employee who shared it with us. Some edits were made for length and clarity.
I never imagined I’d be writing a blog post like this. For over five years, I served at the CDC, pouring my heart and soul into public health, developing critical data tools, and earning a dozen prestigious awards that celebrated my dedication and expertise. That tenure was split where I developed expertise and best practices in the private sector to bring back to CDC.
When I returned, it was to lead an elite team of data scientists and engineers to reimagine and retool the very infrastructure that underlies public health. Our mission was to fix the problems laid bare by the COVID-19 outbreak. To rejoin the ranks in such a prestigious role took time. Seven interviews and as many months later, I began my tour of duty. There was one catch, though: my “break in service” meant that I had to go through another year of probation.
This truly was my dream job, though, and worth the risk for the first step into the rest of my career. I had a highly skilled team and a portfolio of high-impact work that was breathing efficiency and new life into an ossified government IT apparatus. However, despite a perfect performance rating, effusive praise, and a recent promotion , I found myself abruptly terminated. No notice was given; access was simply revoked over a holiday weekend. It took Uncle Sam more than three weeks to tell me why…
The reason given?
A sudden, inexplicable claim that my “ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs,” a claim so out-of-step with my record that it struck me as a blatant distortion of the truth. I was informed that my performance was inadequate—a notion entirely at odds with my track record of excellence, multiple scientific publishing and performance awards, and the leadership role I held. All of which were based entirely upon my unique abilities, knowledge, and skills.
What’s most troubling is the broader context: I’m not alone. Tens of thousands of probationary federal employees have been fired under justifications that seem engineered to sidestep legal obligations and the merit system principles that once formed the backbone of our civil service. One week prior to my termination, my supervisor affirmed that I was an essential employee; yet, the decision to terminate my employment was made without any input from those who truly knew my work. Indeed, it seems that these decisions were made entirely outside of the CDC.
This isn’t just about one person—it’s about a systemic purge that appears politically driven. The timing and manner of these dismissals, underscored by a federal judge’s decision condemning the mass firings as a “gimmick” and a “sham” to bypass statutory requirements, reveal a disturbing trend. Our nation’s federal workforce, once a bastion of impartial expertise, is being reshaped not by objective assessments but by political agendas aimed at reducing government size.
I write this anonymously because I fear retaliation, but I also believe the American public deserves to know how merit and dedication are being trampled in the name of political expediency. This is not merely an administrative reshuffle; it is an erosion of the very principles that keep our government accountable, efficient, and nonpartisan. The loss of experienced professionals like myself doesn’t just hurt individual careers—it weakens the fabric of our public institutions and compromises the quality of public service at large.
If my story is any indication, the integrity of our federal workforce is at risk. It’s time to demand transparency, accountability, and a return to a merit-based system where service is recognized and valued—not discarded in a political purge.