Cookeville’s largest employer announced furloughs 400 and is cutting the hours for many more.
Cookeville Regional Medical Center says in a statement that the cuts are related to a loss of revenue from procedures considered elective.
Hospital CEO Paul Korth says he’s trying to preserve cash for when the hospital sees a surge of COVID-19 cases — which it hasn’t yet.
“You may be asking why we are reducing workforce at a time like this and the reason is simple. We must preserve our financial resources now in order to direct more of them to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic,” Korth says in a written statement.
Furloughed employees will keep their health insurance and should be able to qualify for unemployment benefits.
Hospitals across the state — large and small — are struggling to pay their staff as VOD. This week, state officials announced $500,000 emergency grants to help bridge rural hospitals until federal help comes.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM