Federal Worker Laid Off After Two Months Shares Experience on TikTok

Layoff Experience at HHS

• 🎯 Victoria Chege, a recent Master of Public Health graduate, was hired by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a management and program analyst role in December.
• 📧 She received a termination email in mid-February, after less than two months on the job, citing a lack of fit for her skills and abilities, despite not having had a performance review.
• ⚠️ Chege was aware of potential job instability due to the upcoming administration change but accepted the role due to its alignment with her career interests.

Impact of DOGE Cuts

• 📉 Chege was one of thousands of federal workers laid off due to DOGE cuts, a situation that also affected long-time employees and those recently promoted back into probationary periods.
• 🗣️ She highlights that the probationary period applies not only to new hires but also to individuals promoted to new roles, even if they have years of service with an agency.
• 💔 The layoffs have created a highly competitive job market, particularly in the DC metro area, with many qualified candidates struggling to find new positions or facing ghosting after interviews.

Turning to Social Media

• 📱 Disheartened by the termination email and the stated reason for her dismissal, Chege turned to TikTok to share her story.
• 🚀 Her video unexpectedly gained significant traction, resonating with many others who had experienced similar layoffs, fostering a sense of community and shared experience.
• 🤝 Chege is motivated to share resources and her story to help others, especially after hearing a particularly moving account from a couple laid off from CMS simultaneously, who were also new parents losing health insurance.

Personal and Professional Outlook

• ✨ Chege describes the experience of sharing her story as therapeutic, finding solace and empathy from others going through similar challenges.
• 💡 She remains hopeful about finding the right role in health policy, even if it requires looking beyond the DC metro area.
• 👏 The hosts acknowledge her intelligence and express confidence that any company, public or private, would be fortunate to have her.