Welcov Healthcare Refuses to Pay Workers

[Omaha Steve]

By Filiberto Nolasco Gomez, Workday Minnesota
February 15, 2019

RED WING
Employees of the Red Wing Care Center Nursing Home found out late last week, after working a full pay period, that their employer Welcov Healthcare had filed for bankruptcy and refused to pay for work they had done. The payroll owed by Welcov was for over $200,000, and doesn't include vacation and sick time that these workers may lose.

Jamie Gulley, the President of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, the Union that represents many of the employees, shared his frustration.

"It is frustrating that another employer is treating the people who care for our families this way. This is the latest case of Minnesota's growing wage theft crisis and also a clear example of why we have a care crisis, where families struggle to find the care they want and deserve," said Gulley. "Would you do this critical, important, incredibly hard work if you may not be paid for your hours or if you could lose your accrued sick and vacation benefits? It's time that our state takes this issue seriously, both addressing the actions of bad actors and proactively making sure these shady business practices are stopped once and for all."

In recent months Welcov Healthcare had signed an agreement to transition operations of the nursing home to a new operator effective last week, and as part of the transition agreement they were responsible for the payroll through last week and were to transition all accrued benefits (sick leave and vacation time) to the new operator.

FULL story: https://www.workdayminnesota.org/articles/welcov-healthcare-refuses-pay-workers