Chicago, IL | January 14, 2026 – The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) today welcomed confirmation that employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been fully reinstated, restoring critical scientific and technical capacity essential to protecting the health and safety of America’s workforce.
The federal government has reversed prior staffing reductions at NIOSH and revoked all layoff notices affecting hundreds of scientists, engineers, and public health professionals. The decision follows months of sustained advocacy by ACOEM and allied professional societies, labor organizations, and public health experts.
NIOSH, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plays a foundational role in occupational safety and health research and supports programs ranging from mine safety and chemical hazard assessment to research on emerging occupational risks.
“This reinstatement is an important affirmation of the vital role that science and expertise play in protecting working people,” said Laura Gillis, MD, MPH, FACOEM, ACOEM Board of Directors President. “NIOSH’s work saves lives. Restoring its workforce helps ensure that employers, clinicians, and policymakers continue to have access to the evidence needed to prevent injury, illness, and death on the job.”
ACOEM has consistently advocated for the protection of NIOSH and its mission. Over the past year, the College engaged with policymakers, collaborated with allied organizations through the Intersociety Forum (now Workplace EHS Coalition), supported the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), and signed multiple coalition letters urging transparency, adequate funding, and preservation of the nation’s occupational health infrastructure.
“Occupational and environmental medicine depends on strong, independent research to inform prevention and clinical care,” Dr. Gillis said. “Today’s news reflects what happens when experts, advocates, and partners speak with a unified voice on behalf of worker health.”
ACOEM will continue working with federal agencies, professional partners, and its members to support NIOSH’s mission and ensure the long-term strength of occupational and environmental medicine.