BOSTON (AP) — A group of Democratic members of Congress, led by Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, is looking for peace of minds that employees at healthcare facilities owned by Steward Healthcare will have their healthcare and retirement advantages secured.
Steward last month stated it prepares to sell all its healthcare facilities after revealing that it applied for personal bankruptcy security.
In a letter to acting Labor Secretary Julie Su on Monday, Markey stated Steward’s personal bankruptcy “presents issues for the almost 30,000 employees consisting of almost 10,000 in Massachusetts, who count on Steward Healthcare for their incomes, healthcare strategies, and retirement advantages.”
“We compose to ask that the U.S. Department of Labor make sure that Steward employees and retired people get the healthcare and retirement advantages to which they are entitled. Employees and retired people need to be secured from additional damage arising from Steward’s gross monetary mismanagement,” Markey composed.
Agents of Steward did not right away react to an e-mail looking for talk about what actions, if any, the business has actually required to make sure employees get their advantages.
The Dallas-based business, which runs more than 30 healthcare facilities across the country, has stated it does not anticipate any disruptions in its healthcare facilities’ everyday operations throughout the Chapter 11 procedure.
Markey stated lots of employees who count on Steward Healthcare for their income are currently dealing with monetary unpredictability and stress and anxiety. In Massachusetts, he stated, incomes to Steward employees were postponed following the personal bankruptcy filing due to processing hold-ups.
Markey and the other legislators are asking the Department of Labor to take actions to safeguard employees, consisting of figuring out Steward’s prepare for continuing advantages throughout personal bankruptcy in addition to in case of a center’s closure or buyout and making certain health claims are paid throughout the personal bankruptcy procedure.
“Although the duty for this crisis rests specifically on Steward and its business partners, a resolution to this crisis that secures employees, clients, and neighborhoods needs participation and partnership amongst federal, state, and regional authorities,” Markey stated in the letter.
In addition to Massachusetts, Steward uses employees in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
The letter was likewise signed by Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Stephen Lynch, James McGovern and Seth Moulton, all of Massachusetts, and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas likewise signed the letter.
