Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Melody Schreiber

CDC employees on chaos of being fired, rehired and fired again: ‘stuck in limbo’

CDC Donald Trump
People hold signs in support of the CDC.
CDC staff and supporters rally outside the agency's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, on 28 August 2025. Photograph: Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As layoff notices swept through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 10 October, Aryn Melton Backus thought she would be safe this time.

Then she received the email: she was part of a major reduction in force (RIF) during the US government shutdown. It wasn’t the first time she’d been fired from the CDC by email, nor the second.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
The Story Behind Little Trees Is Even Stranger Than You Think
The iconic tree-shaped air freshener started with a smelly milk truck in 1952. Here's how Little Trees became a car-culture staple.
Motor1
Motor1
Would You Send Money to Someone You’ve Never Met? Romance Scammers Know How to Make You Say Yes
The first request for money might arrive after weeks of sweet messages, late-night conversations, and promises of a future together. It might sound less like a scam than an awkward favor between two people who care about each other.
Clever Dude
Clever Dude
Heavier Phone Use Past 10 at Night Linked with Teens Falling Asleep About 65 Minutes Later
On nights with extra phone use after 10 p.m., teens fell asleep about 65 minutes later, a JAMA Pediatrics study found. What parents can do.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
We are reclaiming real life after getting rid of Instagram
Letters: Readers on taking back their lives – and brains – from social media algorithms
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
The U.K.'s Online Safety Act Has Been a Failure. Regulators Want To Broaden It Anyway.
A new report reveals more shortcomings of the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.
Reason
Reason
British Embassy quashes Winnie-the-Pooh return rumors, keeping the famed bear in New York
It turns out Winnie-the-Pooh and his fluffy friends aren’t being bear-napped from their longtime home at the New York Public Library
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play