HOSPITAL LAYOFFS URGED CONSULTANT REPORT RECEIVED.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer LANCASTER - A consultant hired to help Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Hospital stem its financial losses is recommending the layoffs of more than 150 people, a hospital director said Tuesday. With The Camden Group recommending layoffs, Chief Executive Officer Les Wong is asking the board for a severance agreement Noun 1. severance agreement - an agreement on the terms on which an employee will leave agreement, understanding - the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises; "they had an agreement that they would not interfere in each other's business"; "there was that would pay out $600,000, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. dissident director dissident director A director who wishes to change a firm's policies and generally acts in opposition to the wishes of the other directors. Steve Fox. ``His comment to the board was if he has to do labor reductions, he wants some security,'' said Fox, noting that a new board might take over after the November election. The board received the final report by The Camden Group last week but has not released it to the public. Director June Snow said no decisions have been made as to whether hospital officials will follow the recommendations. ``Just because Camden says it doesn't mean we will enact everything. They make a lot of recommendations. Whether we do them all or not we will have to see,'' Snow said. Fox said the report calls for targeting 154 positions for elimination. ``It calls for reductions in a number of departments, totaling 154 FTEs (or full-time equivalent positions),'' Fox said. Fox said the report also suggests closing a few departments, which he declined to name. Snow said The Camden Group went department by department in making suggestions of where to cut. ``They said, in this department, benchmark standards in other organizations of your size is three employees and you have five,'' Snow said. But she noted some faulty information contained in the report related to its downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing recommendations. ``In some cases they were unaware some departments have more than one function. For example, in the managed-care department they do contracting but also manage an IPA IPA - International Phonetic Alphabet (independent physicians association),'' Snow said. ``Some of the information they have is erroneous.'' The board will consider at today's meeting an agreement that would provide Wong with 18 months of severance pay Severance Pay Compensation that an employer gives to someone who is about to lose their job. Notes: Severance pay is not always paid to employees. It depends on the situation in which the employee is losing their job and whether legislation requires severance to be paid. . Snow said Wong's request is reasonable. Eighteen months of severance pay is an industry standard, she said. ``If it's the board's intention to keep him as CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , he should have a contract so he can feel secure in making tough decisions and not be afraid to do it,'' Snow said. Fox, a critic of the board majority and its spending, said the hospital instead should search for another CEO. The Camdem Group was hired by the hospital in December at a cost of up to $225,000 to conduct an operational audit and help the facility stem its financial losses. Karen Maeshiro, (661) 267-5744 karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com |
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