Essentia permanently lays off 900 employees.

The cuts, which represent 6% of Essentia’s workforce, are in addition to the 850 employees who have been placed on administrative leave and are expected to remain so until July 31. Those on leave may still be called back as needed, Essentia said. Some laid-off staff covered by collective bargaining agreements have right-of-recall and other job protections. The health system is the largest employer in Duluth with more than 6,000 employees in the city and about 14,500 employees across all locations in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.