Crippled by staffing cuts since last April, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and its essential programs are finally being restored. That’s the unexpected and welcome news from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees NIOSH, the federal agency tasked with worker safety research and programs to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths.
“We wholeheartedly support the full restoration of NIOSH,” said LIUNA General President Brent Booker. “NIOSH protected America’s workers for over 50 years, including LIUNA members and other survivors following the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Firing the workers behind these essential safety programs was misguided and dangerous then, and restoring their jobs is long overdue.”
Historically, NIOSH has been responsible for:
NIOSH carried out these and other critical functions with a budget of only $362 million—or about $2 per American worker.
Here’s a timeline of the key moments
While it’s unclear what led HHS to reverse course now, it’s likely that continued union actions like demonstrations and rallies, powerful media stories about the importance of NIOSH’s work and bipartisan pressure from members of Congress were factors. Another possibility is that these layoffs were likely to ultimately be found illegal in court, since NIOSH’s work is mandated by federal law. Others note that passing the President’s proposed budget will involve negotiation with lawmakers in the House and Senate, and that the deep cuts at HHS were very unpopular on both sides of the aisle.
The April 2025 cuts threw national workplace safety research into disarray, and many experts warn that reinstating NIOSH’s workforce won’t immediately patch over the harm done to the agency.
Some NIOSH staff are unlikely to return after spending nine months with their jobs in limbo. Many have moved on to other jobs, while others have relocated or retired. Major research projects have been interrupted and won’t be easily resumed.
“We still have a long road ahead of us. We have a lot of rebuilding to do,” said Micah Niemeier-Walsh, a NIOSH employee and vice president of AFGE Local 3840. “It’s going to take some time to get projects moving again.”
The bulk of NIOSH’s workforce has been locked out for the last nine months, freezing progress on critical projects and long-term worker health studies. You cannot simply press pause on the safety of American workers for nine months and expect there not to be consequences. Yet, even if it takes some time, we are all better off with a fully functioning NIOSH than without it.
NIOSH’s work strengthens worker safety and economic stability, reducing costly injuries and illnesses while providing industry with science-based guidance they can trust. By investing in prevention, we create a more resilient workforce, lower healthcare and workers’ compensation costs and create a level playing field for responsible employers that prioritize safety.
Welcome back, NIOSH. America’s workers deserve the programs, expertise and research that only you can provide.
[Nick Fox]
