Doha: The US Department of Health and Human Services revealed the possibility of dismissing most of its probationary employees, estimated at around 5,200, as part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s move to remove all workers still under probation. Participants in a National Institutes of Health meeting expressed concerns about the potential job losses among probationary employees. However, officials hinted that some workers with specialized skills might be retained.

According to Qatar News Agency, employees expected to be laid off were supposed to receive email notifications on Friday, but no such notices have been issued yet. Reports suggest that the cuts could affect around 1,300 probationary employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accounting for nearly ten percent of its workforce.

A federal official stated that some affected employees would be placed on paid administrative leave for four weeks. The US president previously called for reducing the number of probationary employees as part of efforts to control the country’s wage bill.