Salem Hospital Laying Off Workers

From the Statesman Journal.com
February 19, 2010 -- Salem Health and its Salem Hospital have eliminated at least 43 full-time equivalent positions, and more employees are working shorter weeks.

For the first time in nine years, Salem's largest private employer is facing cutbacks to avoid a budget deficit, but the hospital does not expect to cut any more jobs.

"We believe we can complete the year with the budget balanced and without needing to make more reductions," Salem Health spokeswoman Julie Howard said.

Since October, 43.4 full-time equivalent positions, made up of both part-time and full-time employees, have been cut, Howard said.

Last October, hospital officials announced a plan to reduce about $9.3 million in expenses. The initial goal was to reduce about $6 million in labor expenses and $3 million in non-labor expenses.

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