BANGOR, Maine — Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems on Tuesday notified 35 information systems employees that they will be laid off at the end of the month.
“As part of the continued effort to reduce the overall operating cost in Information Systems [or information technology], 35 positions were eliminated today,” EMHS spokeswoman Suzanne Spruce said Tuesday afternoon.
In June, EMHS offered voluntary early retirement options to 42 staff members who were over age 55 and had more than 10 years with the company. The move was intended to help close a $3 million gap in the department’s budget for the approaching fiscal year, which starts in October.
Only 13 of those employees took that offer. The information systems department employs more than 300 people systemwide, Spruce said previously.
Many of the employees are based in Brewer’s Cianchette Building, and some are located in other facilities across the state at other EMHS institutions. The workers have 30 days’ notice until their employment ends.
Spruce said the workers could apply for other open positions elsewhere in the EMHS organization, or could look for employment elsewhere. Affected employees also can work with the organization’s career center if they need help finding or applying for new work.
“There’s a good safety net in place for them,” Spruce said.
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