Orlando Health may still lay off workers despite raking in $50M

ORLANDO, Fla. — One of central Florida's top employers could lay off workers, despite raking in nearly $50 million in profit over the last fiscal quarter.

Orlando Health attributes the profits to a list of changes, including restructuring within departments and changes to incentive pay for employees.

WFTV reporter Karla Ray has been breaking new developments on the employee pushback against the cuts for months.

The profits are a sign that a restructuring process that started in November 2012 is working.

But, the company plans to cut nearly $60 million more from its budget this year, and that could mean eliminating positions.

In October, dozens of Orlando Health employees protested at Lake Eola.

The first round of cuts slashed "shift differential pay:" the amount nurses and other employees made for working undesirable shifts.

"We think it's a combination of revenue increases and controlled expenses, and we just hope it continues," said hospital representative Kena Lewis.

Lewis said additional revenues from newly acquired facilities, along with re-contracting, added to the profit margin.

Lewis acknowledged that 88 workers were removed from their positions since October.

"We restructured operations. We right-sized the organization," she said.

Sarah Lasher is part of a growing group of employees working to form a union.

"I don't think we realized how much money they truly did make," Lasher said.

Lasher said she hopes the union organizing effort stops future cuts to pay or positions.

"What else are they going to take away? What else can they take away? It's a lot, and it's about maintaining what we currently have at this point," Lasher said.

Hospital officials did not say where or when other positions would be cut.

WFTV