No response from ValleyCare leaders on new layoffs

YOUNGSTOWN

ValleyCare Health System of Ohio’s Northside Medical Center announced Wednesday that it is laying off a number of employees.

“In an effort to more closely align staffing to the community’s usage of services, we have determined a staff adjustment is appropriate,” said Trish Hrina, vice president of marketing and public relations for ValleyCare Health System of Ohio.

Hrina said the adjustment will affect about 68 full-time equivalents at Northside, located at 500 Gypsy Lane.

It is not clear whether the 68 FTEs refers to 68 full-time employees or to 68 full-time equivalent employees. A full-time equivalent, or FTE, is the combination of part-time positions that equal a full-time position.

The hospital’s statement also does not indicate the effective date of the layoffs nor which employee groups, such as nurses and service workers, are affected or whether they are union and/or nonunion employees.

Telephone calls to Hrina to elaborate on those issues were not returned. Neither were calls for comment made to leaders of unions that represent employees at Northside.

Read more about the layoffs in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.