ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Employees from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were among the more than 4,000 federal workers who received layoff notices on Friday.

A federal court filing in response to two unions trying to stop the reductions in force revealed that employees from seven departments were laid off. In the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which the CDC is under, between 1,100 and 1,200 workers were let go.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: White House budget office says over 4,000 federal employees could be fired during shutdown

READ THE COURT FILING:

According to CNN, the following CDC departments were affected:

• Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology
• Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics: Inform Division
• CDC Washington office
• National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
• Global Health Center Office of the Director
• Office of Human Resources
• National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
• Public Health Infrastructure Center
• Office of Science, including the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and some Epidemic Intelligence Service officers
• CDC Library

442 HUD employees were also told they were being terminated.

“There are only a handful in the metro Atlanta area that have been identified or received a notice, but even a handful is one too many,” said Antonio Gaine, the president of AFGE Council 222, which represents HUD employees.

AFGE is one of the labor unions included in the lawsuit against the Trump administration, calling the firings illegal.

“We believe he has certain rights as the chief executive of the country, but there is a protocol that he is supposed to adhere to that also involves Congress,” Gaines said.

Gaines believes federal workers are being used as political pawns during the shutdown.

“We, like everyone else, take our directions from senior leadership, and we try to do our jobs in a professional, highly competent manner,” Gaines said. “To use us in this manner to inflict pain on our families, on the workforce, and ultimately the American people, I just think is wrong.”

The only department with more layoffs was the Department of Treasury, where 1,446 workers were dismissed.

In a statement to CNN, an HHS spokesperson said all employees who got the notices were deemed non-essential.

President Donald Trump warned the layoffs were coming before the government shutdown began on Oct. 1. The move follows his administration’s plan to gut some federal services and slash funding.

In a social media post, Georgia Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock said, “People are not pawns. The latest CDC layoffs are another example of this Administration going after our health—this time by firing scientists working to prevent chronic & respiratory disease. I’m working to reopen the gvt, reverse these reckless cuts, & fund health care."

It’s unknown when the government shutdown will end. A short-term funding bill passed in the House but has not yet cleared the Senate.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more.

MORE COVERAGE:

Thunderbirds, other military planes pull out of Atlanta air show due to government shutdown

Troops will miss paychecks next week without action on the government shutdown

‘This should not be happening’: Marjorie Taylor Greene blames GOP leaders for shutdown

TGI Fridays offers free food for some federal workers during government shutdown

What to do if your flight is delayed or canceled during the US government shutdown

Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.