ST. LOUIS — BJC HealthCare said Tuesday that it furloughed 2,962 employees last week, giving clarity to cuts that were announced earlier this month.
A spokeswoman for the health care system, June Fowler, said BJC will cover the costs of medical and dental premiums for affected workers. She said the furloughs are expected to last eight weeks.
"But some team members could return sooner depending on patient volumes," Fowler said.
The cancellation of elective procedures has decimated area health systems, and some have said it's unclear how long it will take for past volumes to return.
BJC, with a more than $5 billion budget, had 28,000 local employees as of April 2019. It is one of the nation's largest nonprofit health systems, including 15 hospitals and multiple community health locations.
