UCI Health Rehires Critical Care Workers After Layoffs

Hospital system apologizes for 'oversight' in laying off 7 quality improvement specialists

Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:34pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A vibrant neon outline of a medical stethoscope against a dark background, symbolizing the urgent yet hopeful efforts of healthcare workers to maintain quality care during a period of organizational change.As UCI Health navigates staffing challenges amid expansion, the restoration of critical care roles signals an opportunity to refocus on patient safety.Fountain Valley Today

UCI Health has reversed course and rehired 7 of the 150 critical care workers it laid off last month as part of a restructuring across its Orange County hospitals. The University and Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America union said UCI Health's human resources director notified them of the decision and apologized for the 'oversight'.

Why it matters

The rehiring of these critical care workers, who investigate medical incidents when things go wrong for patients, comes as UCI Health faces scrutiny over layoffs of nurses, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare workers at a time when the hospital system is pursuing aggressive expansion.

The details

The 7 rehired workers were quality improvement healthcare specialists who were part of the 150 layoffs announced last month by UCI Health as part of a restructuring across its hospitals in Orange County. The union said UCI Health hopes to retain these workers through new positions created as part of the restructuring. However, the union says there are still questions about why UCI Health is cutting staff even as it expands, and the union is in discussions with the hospital system over the impacts of the layoffs.

  • UCI Health laid off 150 workers, including the 7 rehired, in March 2026.
  • On April 2, 2026, UCI Health announced it was transitioning the pediatric and pediatric ICU units at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital to adult beds, resulting in 26 nursing roles being eliminated.
  • On April 9, 2026, UCI Health notified the union that it was reversing the layoffs of the 7 quality improvement specialists.

The players

Gabe Contreras

UCI Health Human Resources Director who notified the union of the decision to rehire the 7 workers and apologized for the 'oversight'.

UPTE

The University and Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America union that represents the 7 rehired workers.

Ansel Herz

UPTE spokesman who commented on the rehiring and said there is more work to do regarding the other layoffs at UCI Health.

AFSCME 3299

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union that said 44 of its members were laid off by UCI Health, including respiratory therapists and patient care technical workers.

California Nurses Association (CNA)

The union that claimed UCI Health laid off 25 registered nurses at Fountain Valley, leading to the closure of its pediatric and pediatric intensive care units.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We are glad UCI restored our workers to their positions. However, there is more work to do. UPTE members, as well as workers represented by our union peers at CNA and AFSCME 3299, are still questioning why — at a time when UCI is pursuing aggressive expansion — our public hospital system is acting like a corporate chain. We deserve answers.”

— Ansel Herz, UPTE spokesman

“As of today, UCI has not rescinded any of our members layoff notices. CNA is still in discussions with the University over the layoff impacts to the community and nurses.”

— California Nurses Association

What’s next

The union says it is still in discussions with UCI Health over the impacts of the layoffs, including the closure of the pediatric and pediatric ICU units at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital.

The takeaway

The reversal of the layoffs for these 7 critical care workers highlights the ongoing tensions between UCI Health and its unions over staffing levels and the hospital system's expansion plans, raising questions about how the needs of patients and healthcare workers are being balanced.