While individual staff at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will feel the pain of lost pay, hospital officials are happy that they were able to avoid layoffs as it tries to solve financial problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

KCRG reports that UIHC announced their plans to make up an estimated $100 million loss due to the pandemic. That loss is a combination of lost revenue during the COVID-19 shutdown as well as the added costs of protecting patients and staff. KCRG reports that the plan calls for all staff to take unpaid time off or give up vacation time. Higher earning employees will bear a bigger share of the pain. Staffers making $50,000 or more will have to take a week off unpaid or give up 50 hours of vacation time. Those lower wage earners will also still get a planned 2.1% pay increase starting July 1st. Higher earners will not earn the raise. The hospital CEO and Vice President of Medical Affairs will take an even bigger pay cut.

Officials say that they can't rule out more cuts could be needed, especially if pandemic conditions get worse in the state. A recent spike in cases in Johnson County has many officials worried that people are not following the proper social distancing rules or wearing masks. Officials with UIHC say there is still much uncertainty ahead. Will there be another spike? Will there be enough hospital beds? At this time, officials say they're confident in the plan they have for whatever lies ahead.

 

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