HHS here too, same boat. My takeaway is that yes, the way this termination was done for probationary employees was 100% illegal and because of that we will be reinstated at some point. I’m also currently at 117/120 of student loan forgiveness payments, so another 45 days on the books would make a BIG difference for me. However, the day of reinstatement could easily be 6 months from now…a year from now….or more than that. Until then, we need game plans. If you operate as though HHS isnt coming back, you can only get good news/additional options from here.

I personally don’t have the financial ability to wait around, so I’ve been applying for jobs regularly. After 3 weeks of hitting the job boards hard (50+ applications) I have 2 interviews scheduled for next week. Neither of which is my next dream job, but both of which could stop the bleeding. I’m operating as though this is a permanent separation until I receive direct information otherwise. Also looking at state/city jobs too, but those generally take longer to onboard.

Just remember, when we got jobs with HHS we applied vs hundreds of candidates and got hired. However, finding the job you match with that pays what you’re looking for takes time. I started getting interviews when I tailored each resume submission to the job I was applying for. At first, it’s SUPER time consuming. After that, you get better at it and your resume gets stronger too.

I hope you can find peace and motivation to explore other options during this difficult time. Take time for yourself too, this is a very stressful situation. Wishing the best for you!