Sarasota Memorial Hospital plans to lay off 31 employees and cut nearly 100 vacant positions. The hospital claims the cuts will be among clerical and patient care staff, and that no floor-based nurses will lose their jobs.
The job cuts come as the hospital faces rising expenses and declining tax revenues. The hospital has had its best year since 2005, netting $57 million, but officials expect that number to fall next year.
It is projected that Sarasota Memorial will lose about $10 million in funding from tax revenues, and that operation costs will rise from $19 million to $23 million.
The recent job cuts are expected to save about $1 million, and by eliminating vacant openings the hospital hopes to save nearly $4 million.