Kaiser Permanente Lays Off More Than 200 Workers in Northern California

Kaiser Permanente plans to lay off more than 200 workers throughout Northern California, including some in the Bay Area. The company plans to tell impacted workers on Monday, after informing union representatives earlier this week.

The positions eliminated are primarily non-clinical administrative support positions, according to Kaiser.

Georgette Bradford is a member leader with SEIU Healthcare Workers West, whose members are impacted by the cuts. She says the move feels like a slap in the face.

“It was very callous in its timing and context, considering we have not even come out of, we’re just coming out of a pandemic right now,” she says, calling it “a year of hell.”

Bradford says, “our union members have been working through this pandemic, putting their lives on the line, putting their families at risk coming into work every day. Understaffed. Then to turn around and layoff notices when the company has made $6.4 billion in this year alone.”

In a statement, Kaiser said it will work with employees to help transition them to other positions and that the 200 staffers were being laid off in a “reorganization” effort. Kaiser said it is always looking to “streamline and redesign work processes,” which sometimes requires changing internal operations.

“We recognize the incredible contribution of all of our staff who have performed admirably especially throughout the past year and we are committed to providing comprehensive and personalized support,” a Kaiser spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Union leaders and management have 60 days to negotiate over the proposed layoffs before they go into effect.

— Holly McDede