The layoffs do not involve direct patient care roles and primarily affect business function and IT positions, a spokesperson for Kaiser said in a March 5 statement shared with Becker’s.
“We do not take these decisions lightly,” the statement said. “The people affected by these staffing changes have made important contributions to Kaiser Permanente. We are helping them transition into other roles within Kaiser Permanente or, where necessary, will provide generous severance packages, career support and outplacement services.”
The layoffs come after Kaiser shared plans to lay off 52 California employees in January as part of a broader shift for its Educational Theatre outreach initiative, a program that employs arts-based learning to promote health and wellness. The health system also shared plans in September 2024 to lay off 43 employees across several California locations on Nov. 22 due to continued operations and services evaluations.
The layoffs will not affect the quality of patient care and no union-represented employees were affected. Around 179,000 people are employed by Kaiser in California, the spokesperson said.
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