Baptist gives pink slips to nearly 200 workers

JACKSON — Baptist Medical Center has given pink slips to 186 employees as part of its attempt to cut more than $16 million.

CEO Kurt Metzner tells The Clarion-Ledger that the first pink slips came last week, and the latest ones came yesterday. He said those people can apply for 136 job openings. Metzner offered no explanation why those openings existed when positions were being cut.

He said those laid off will received severance pay.

Metzner said the cuts are part of a companywide initiative by Baptist Health Systems to cut costs.

Mississippi Baptist Health Systems operates one of the state’s largest private, general hospitals with nearly 600 patient beds as well as eight outlying clinics.