Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Kaleida Health says it is offering temporary 30 day furloughs for employees. The primary voluntary furlough program is part of a joint agreement with 1199SEIU and CWA1168, which represent over 8,000 Kaleida Health employees.
“Like other healthcare organizations across Western New York, New York State and the entire country, the pandemic has significantly impacted our bottom line,” said Jody Lomeo, president & CEO of Kaleida Health. “As a result, we have made a number of changes to help reduce expenses and cut costs. The voluntary furlough program is a temporary but significant move to help us navigate the financial challenges that we are facing. It’s important that we recognize labor for their partnership and willingness to step up and help at this critical juncture.”
Lomeo says those who take the furlough will remain Kaleida Health employees. They just won't be paid during that 30 day period.
The furlough period is for 30 days beginning Sunday, April 26.
“Our members have tirelessly responded to the extraordinary demands of the pandemic in order to ensure the best possible treatment for every patient who has entered a Kaleida Health facility since this crisis began unfolding,” said Cori Gambini, president of CWA Local 1168. “However, as healthcare workers, we understand how the overall health of the people under our care is inseparably tied to the overall health of the organization. This voluntary unpaid leave that we’ve negotiated is the temporary and necessary step in a strategic process that considers the employer, the employees, and the community who depends on our members every day.”
Over the past 60 days, Kaleida Health says it has suspended elective procedures, closed ambulatory surgery centers, and reduced ambulatory capacity, plus spent more than $15 million so far on personal protective equipment (PPE), equipment, supplies, staffing up and preparing for a surge. Kaleida estimates the lost revenue and increased spending could equate to upwards of a loss of $30 million a month.