ABC 13, WSET, News-Lynchburg, VA reports on lawsuit at Patrick Hospital
January 15, 2009
Jan. 14, 2009-ABC 13 News, WSET-TV, Lynchburg, VA has reported on the lawsuit against the owners of Patrick County Hospital.
This news is per: WSET-TV
2320 Langhorne Rd
Lynchburg, VA 24501
Stuart, VA - Nearly 90 people who lost their jobs are suing their former employer. Patrick County Memorial Hospital employees were laid off back in October, under previous management. They are now claiming they have not been paid wages and have not received benefits owed to them.
We spoke with many of them and some of these people of course depend on every paycheck. They were already upset about losing their jobs, but not getting paid for days they did work put them over the top. So now, they're going to court. They remember the day well.
Sue Fain, Former Employee - "Wednesday October 29th."
They lost their jobs.
John Frisco, Former Employee - "Showed up one day, told to go upstairs I need to see somebody after I punched in, and I was told to go home."
And were showed the door.
Janice Wilkins, Former Employee - "This is totally unfair, the way that we were treated one day we had a job the next day we did not."
Not only were they without a source of income.
John Fishwick Jr., Attorney - "The previous owners of the hospital just basically walked out and didn’t pay anybody."
But nearly 90 of them claim they never got their paychecks for their final weeks at the hospital.
Fishwick Jr. - "Previous owners of this hospital didn't pay people, but not only did they not pay people, they haven't paid their health benefits, their 401k plan payments, they haven’t even paid for their taxes."
And employees say, that's not okay.
Wilkins - "I have a son that's a first year student at UVa, he just started his first year up there I have tuition."
Fain - "I have a handicapped boy home with me, he's 28 years old."
But like this big group of people, there are many others waiting in line to get what they're owed.
Fishwick Jr. - "They know its gonna be tough and hard to fight, because there's secured creditors, there's banks ahead of us, there are some people clawing for their money... but these are the people who did the work these are the people who took care of the people in this hospital."
Their job was to take care of others and although some have lost the title, they say now, they just want those who need the money, to get it.
Frisco - "To start out with, we were all out to try to get what we were owed but now it's to try to help those that really need it the worst."
Some of the employees in that room did get their jobs back with the hospital, after it was bought by a different owner. Employees say the hospital is doing better under new management. We tried to reach the former owners, but no calls have been returned.
