UW Medicine furloughs 1,500 staffers, with more possible
SEATTLE (AP) — Furloughs due to the pandemic have been announced by UW Medicine, which has been at the forefront of local and global COVID-19 efforts including the creation of widely used outbreak models and processing most of Washington state’s diagnostic tests.
CEO Dr. Paul Ramsey last week announced an unprecedented $500 million budget shortfall. On Monday, UW Medicine officials announced one- to eight-week furloughs for 1,500 professional staff, which includes management and administrative workers, The Seattle Times reported.
Management and unions will bargain over furloughs for unionized staffers and could have an agreement by later this week, according to Dr. Lisa Brandenburg, president of UW Medicine Hospitals and Clinics.
Additional proposed cost-saving measures include reduced pay for senior leadership, pausing some capital projects, a hiring freeze for jobs not associated with patient care, and a halt to discretionary spending.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/uw-medicine-furloughs-1500-staffers-with-more-possible/ar-BB14gRGq