# HHS Employees Question Performance Reviews

HHS employees are concerned that new performance reviews introduced after DOGE-related workforce changes could affect ratings, pay increases, or future reductions in force. The discussion does not cite an agency policy or memo confirming the claims about limits on challenging ratings, and commenters disagree about how rating recalibration could affect employees. The signal identifies workforce uncertainty, not a procurement action or a confirmed change to contract requirements.

- HHS and NIH contractors may encounter uncertainty around agency staffing and continuity, but the discussion does not establish that any contract, program, or acquisition is changing.
- Contractors should not treat employee comments as official workforce or procurement direction; verify any operational changes through authorized agency or contracting channels.
- No contract opportunity, award, value, solicitation deadline, or formal procurement impact is identified.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Healthcare
**Published:** October 17, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

### Key Quotes
> They only have to maintain a ready supply of employees pushed to lower ratings, then management can cull from that population in each agency.
> — Community commenter

### Sources
- [In DOGE’s aftermath, federal health workers bristle at new performance reviews.  HHS staff worry that evaluations are an excuse to reduce pay or push out workers](https://www.reddit.com/r/FedEmployees/comments/1x8lj8y/in_doges_aftermath_federal_health_workers_bristle) - reddit-fedemployees