WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest Baptist Health has announced furloughs for almost 20,000 employees due to the coronavirus.
"Most employees in our health system will be participating in flexing time or pay in some fashion," a spokesperson for Wake Forest Baptist Health said. "Many of our clinical staff have already been doing their part in the past weeks and flexing to patient volumes."
The spokesperson said the company is focusing their resources and minimizing changes that could affect patients and front line clinical staff.
"In addition, our leaders and executives will be giving up a material percentage of their salaries," they said.
The spokesperson for Wake Forest Baptist added they do not anticipate any additional layoffs or pay cuts for employees in the near future and said furloughs will be taken at varying levels over the next four months.
CEO of Wake Forest Baptist Health and Dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine Dr. Julie Freischlag explained many leaders and administrative personnel will begin unpaid time off through a limited furlough starting May.
“This plan is specifically designed to minimize the effect on our patients, patient care and frontline clinical staff as we focus resources,” said Freischlag.
Freischlag said despite challenges, Wake Forest Baptist is already planning for recovery and to return to their previous state in the weeks and months ahead.
“As we move forward with these necessary steps, a primary goal is to protect our employees to the greatest extent possible,” she said.
The medical center said they have carefully designed the furlough plan to provide some continuous income and benefits, even if hours drop below what is normally required for benefits.
Freischlag said the health system has proactively taken measures in the past month to limit expenses by eliminating business travel, delaying non-essential purchases and releasing contract and freelance personnel.
“The coronavirus has completely strained our economy as it has health care systems like ours across the country…(which) has brought financial burden to our organization,” she said.
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