TOPEKA, KS – In a stunning turn of events, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has begun terminating VA employees via direct email, bypassing traditional human resources processes. As of 8:00 PM, VA employees in Topeka are actively receiving termination notices in their inboxes, with the full scale of the firings still unknown.
Diana Hicks, the National Vice President for District 9 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), confirmed to ThisIsTopeka.com that the firings are happening in real-time, and VA human resources (HR) personnel have no clear count of how many employees are being affected. “Right now, HR is completely in the dark. We don’t have any numbers, just that these emails are going out right now,” Hicks stated.
Circumventing Standard Protocol
Under normal circumstances, federal employee terminations follow a structured process involving HR and, in unionized environments like the VA, coordination with labor representatives. The decision by OPM to fire employees directly through email raises serious legal and ethical concerns. There are currently no reports of severance discussions, formal appeal processes, or transition plans for the affected employees.
Impact on VA Operations
The abrupt nature of these mass terminations could have immediate consequences for veteran healthcare services. The Colmery-O’Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka employs approximately 1,544 workers, serving thousands of veterans annually and the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Leavenworth, Kansas, also part of the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System (VAEKHCS). They employed approximately 2,000 staff members across its facilities, serving nearly 40,000 Veterans annually With no clear understanding of the number of employees dismissed, concerns are mounting about potential disruptions to patient care and hospital operations.
Union and Political Response
AFGE is monitoring the situation closely, with union representatives already questioning the legality of the move. “We are exploring every possible avenue to challenge this,” Hicks said, hinting at potential legal action. The firings come amid a broader federal downsizing effort, but the VA purge appears to be particularly swift and chaotic.
This is Topeka has reached out to Topeka’s deputy Mayor, Brett Kell, for a comment given his position at VAEKHCS and the city of Topeka for a comment with no reply at the time of publishing.
No official response has been issued from VA leadership or local lawmakers as of this report. ThisIsTopeka.com will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
If you are a VA employee affected by these terminations or have insights into the ongoing situation, please contact us at [email protected].
