ECMC to lay off around 150 employees

"Due to inadequate reimbursements from both public and private payers (including Medicaid cuts), inflationary costs, and other financial challenges, ECMC has made the decision to reduce our workforce by about 3% in mostly non-clinical areas. Additionally, all Management Confidential employees are taking an unpaid one-week furlough in 2026. Like many other safety net hospitals across New York State and the U.S. that are facing rising costs without the commensurate reimbursements to cover costs of patient care, ECMC’s circumstance is not unique. In addition, insurance companies continue to deny and delay payment for patient care services at an alarming rate. Despite this very difficult decision, ECMC has not closed programs, but has made targeted reductions in services to meet patient demands and our financial realities. ECMC will continue to provide the high-quality, national best-in- class care our community expects and deserves."

"These staffing reductions affect employees across multiple unions as well as management positions at Erie County Medical Center. CSEA is actively working with the employer during this process to protect our members' contractual rights, including seniority and bumping provisions, and we are filing a class action grievance to ensure the process is handled correctly. Any reduction in staff at a public hospital raises serious concerns about service levels and the strain placed on the remaining workforce, which ultimately impacts the community that relies on these services."

"CSEA has been engaged with ECMC for months, including advocating for additional funding to prevent layoffs. Unfortunately, those efforts were not enough. We are carefully reviewing every proposed layoff to ensure the collective bargaining agreement is followed and that our members' rights are fully protected, while continuing to stand with affected workers and hold the hospital accountable to its mission of compassion."