The Brief
-
A proposed class action claims Emory Healthcare illegally laid off more than 540 finance workers without sufficient notice.
-
Plaintiff Paulette Simmons alleges the company violated the federal WARN Act and offered inadequate severance to avoid lawsuits.
-
Emory says the cuts impact less than 1% of its workforce and were made to streamline operations.
ATLANTA – A former Emory Healthcare finance employee has filed a proposed class action lawsuit alleging the Atlanta-based hospital system illegally laid off hundreds of workers without advance notice, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
PREVIOUS STORY: Emory Healthcare laying off financial services employees
What they’re saying
The complaint — filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia — accuses Emory Healthcare of violating the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act by terminating 543 full-time employees from its finance department last week without the required 60 days’ notice.
Lead plaintiff Paulette Simmons claims she was among the employees abruptly dismissed on Aug. 12 and offered a severance package that fell short of what the WARN Act mandates. Her lawsuit seeks 60 days’ worth of back pay and benefits for each affected worker.
In a statement to the newspaper, an Emory Healthcare spokesperson said the decision to eliminate finance positions was “difficult” but affects less than 1% of its approximately 27,000-person metro Atlanta workforce. The spokesperson added that some employees were reassigned to other finance roles and that departing staff are receiving support during the transition.
Emory Healthcare, which is affiliated with Emory University, operates 11 hospitals and more than 500 other clinical locations across Georgia. According to Simmons’ lawsuit, the severance letters issued last week offered lump-sum payments only if employees agreed not to pursue legal action — a condition she argues violates the WARN Act’s guarantees.
What’s next
The case seeks class-action status on behalf of the more than 500 laid-off workers.