“After careful consideration and due to ongoing business challenges, we regret to inform you that your position at Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital will be permanently eliminated,” one of the emails obtained by the news station said. “As a result, your employment with HGPMH will officially end on Friday, February 28, 2025.”
Four things to know:
1. The cuts come after the hospital received approval from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in December to temporarily suspend its license because of a blood supply shortage.
2. At least two lawsuits have been filed against the hospital since its temporary closure. One employee, Erica Spradley, alleged the hospital owes her $5,000 in unpaid wages, paid time off and compensation for pain and suffering. Her lawsuit also claims she has been unable to file for unemployment because the hospital did not report her wages or pay unemployment insurance.
3. Hospital administrators previously informed furloughed employees that they would receive minimum wage payment “soon,” but the remaining balance would be paid “as soon as additional funds become available.”
4. Emails sent to KSDK before the hospital’s license suspension suggested it was experiencing payroll and benefits issues.
In a Dec. 12 email obtained by KSDK, hospital CFO Mark Vincent wrote, “We encountered some unforeseen difficulty with the transfer of payroll funds from our investors to our bank as is normally done and expected. We are all terribly sorry for this delay and I can personally assure you that we are all doing everything in our power to resolve this situation.”
Becker’s has reached out to Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital and will update this story should more information become available.