SSM Health furloughing 2,000 employees due to financial challenges

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SSM Health is the latest area health care provider to announce furloughs and cut backs due to financial troubles caused by COVID-19.

The company is placing approximately 2,000 employees on furlough for 13 weeks across its four-state health system, which represents five percent of its workforce.

SSM Health did not specify how many employees at its St. Mary’s Hospital in Janesville will be affected by the furloughs, but it will continue to pay for employee health benefits while they’re furloughed.

The health provider is also freezing compensation for its executives and reducing its expenses.

Volume of service is down 50 percent system-wide, but SSM Health says it remains committed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.