Detroit Medical Center has finalized plans to lay off 565 employees, according to a report by The Detroit News.
DMC started considering the move to outsource housekeeping services and layoff employees earlier this month. The layoffs are expected to take effect Dec. 1, and the hospital has yet to choose a vendor.
The 565 affected employees are in seven locations, according to The Detroit News:
- Harper University Hospital/Hutzel Women's Hospital: 157 employees
- Sinai Grace Hospital: 122 employees
- Children's Hospital of Michigan: 113 employees
- Detroit Receiving Hospital: 99 employees
- Huron Valley Sinai Hospital: 45 employees
- Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan: 21 employees
- DMC Surgery Hospital: 8 employees
"The decision to align our environmental service workers with supervisory management we believe will result in higher employee engagement, cleaner hospitals and will lead to a deeper level of patient satisfaction," Conrad Mallett, DMC's chief administrative officer, said in a statement, according to The Detroit News.
DMC plans to help affected employees so the transition will be "as effective as possible."
Update: Sarah Collica, PR manager and press secretary for DMC, provided the following statement: "After careful and objective consideration of all alternatives, including bringing the entire Environmental Services operation in house, we have determined to contract with Sodexo for both service delivery and management. DMC leadership cares deeply about all of our colleagues and we approached the important decision to bring Sodexo back to the DMC in a careful, business-like manner. The decision to expand the range of services provided by Sodexo to include the direct management of our environmental services team was designed to make the DMC better. Sodexo willingly agreed to offer employment to all existing staff members who successfully complete the on-boarding process. DMC leadership is focused on providing a safe, clean and pleasant environment for our patients and our colleagues. We think aligning service management with service providers will prove helpful. Our decision enhances our ability to deliver great service and care while treating our colleagues in a fair and equitable manner.”