In addition to the 70 layoffs the Erie County Medical Center announced in May, the hospital is requiring another 24 mandatory furloughs, hospital officials confirmed to Spectrum News.

Additionally, 318 employees have participated in voluntary furloughs. The hospital says the actions were taken in order to address costs and revenue loss related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A representative with the New York State Nurses Association said the union did not agree with the furlough language, and instead is doing something called a shared work program, where 75 nurses are giving up one day per week, but are still entitled to the $600 stipend nurses receive.

The representative told Spectrum News ECMC laid off roughly 15 nurses from the union, a majority of which were new hires at the beginning of the pandemic.