Press Release: MDH layoffs impact MAPE members 

For immediate release: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 
Contact: Ashley Erickson, aerickson@mape.org or 507-450-5511 

MDH layoffs impact MAPE members 

Shoreview, Minn. – Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) members were hit hardest by Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) shocking layoffs yesterday, with more affected workers than all other bargaining units combined. 

One of those members, Olivia Dillon, a temporary unclassified epidemiologist in MAPE, received her layoff notice yesterday afternoon and was told her employment was ending effective immediately. Dillon worked in the unexplained critical illnesses and deaths program, provided rabies recommendations to the public and monitored agriculture workers exposed to avian influenza. 

“I see how our work directly impacts people. Minnesotans expect a response when they’re scared about rabies exposure. We supplement so many different programs to try and prevent outbreaks in the general population,” Dillon said, noting that without this important work, people could die. “Our public health systems are being gutted when it’s most important for them to be built up. It horrifies me that this is being taken away.” 

Lydia Fess, an epidemiologist intermediate in MAPE, was shocked to receive her at-risk notice late yesterday afternoon. 

“In my role as acting Chair of our MDH Meet and Confer, I sat with administration today and heard about their plans to lay off my colleagues. I met with members in tears about the sudden loss of their jobs. I didn’t think I’d be getting a notice of my own later that afternoon,” Fess said. “I don’t know where many of us will go from here; public health funding is being decimated across the country, our state, counties and cities. The impacts of these cuts will be felt by our neighbors, our friends and our families because access to the services and health monitoring they expect will be delayed, or non-existent because the funding for those jobs is gone.” 

“These cuts hit deep. Our members at MDH lead Minnesota’s response to public health crises, and our communities rely on their expertise and leadership,” said MAPE President Megan Dayton. “To make matters worse, there were severe technical issues with administrations’ rollout of these layoff and at-risk notices, causing even more harm to our members who are already facing what might be the worst day of their professional lives.” 

While most impacted workers received their layoff or at-risk notices Tuesday, MAPE still hadn’t received our contractually obligated list of impacted members from administration as of 11 a.m. today, which impedes our union’s ability to fully support our most affected members.