(N.M.) Lovelace Health System cuts pay, hours during COVID-19 crisis
Lovelace Health System in New Mexico has reduced hours and pay for many of its health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We have been notified that we have been furloughed until at least July 12, and furloughed means a decrease in pay by 30% and also a decrease in hours from 40 hours a week to 24 hours a week," said a Lovelace employee who wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.
Lovelace said in a statement, "To balance the resources needed to care for our sickest patients against the economic impact of postponed visits and the directive to cancel elective surgeries, we have made some difficult workforce decisions. We have made a variety of adjustments including a reduction of hours and compensation, which is expected to last 90 days, but employees may be called back sooner based on need."
The Lovelace employee who spoke with KOB 4 said she now finds herself worrying about her family's finances, something she didn't anticipate during a pandemic. "As a mother and as the provider of the family, it's creating many hardships," she said.
The woman also told KOB 4 that she is worried about patients. "Now these primary care patients will not have access to care as they once did, which will directly affect the entire health system," she said. "A lot of these patients are coming in for chronic illness management and now there will be less providers to take care of that."
https://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/lovelace-cuts-pay-hours-during-covid-19-crisis/5697085/?cat=500