Several TRMC employees say they were not paid after hospital closed

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Tulare Regional Medical Center is currently closed and working to cut ties with the company that manages it -- Healthcare Conglomerate Associates, otherwise known as HCCA. But not only are patients having to travel further to receive care from different hospitals, hundreds of employees were put out of work.

"I live paycheck to paycheck and not getting a paycheck on time affects my household tremendously and if I don't have money I can't pay my rent, I can't put food on the table," said Melissa Waters.

Some of those employees say they were told to pick up their last paychecks from HCCA Thursday. Waters was a diet aid at the hospital for 13 years and says when she got to the hospital this afternoon, she and at least thirty other employees were turned away by security guards.

"I was informed by a security guard that I was not going to be receiving my paycheck, that HR employees had gone home for the day and that they would contact us at a later date to let us know what was going on."

Waters husband says it has been tough having his wife put out of work and says now, Christmas will be tough for them to celebrate this year

"What they're doing to my wife is really hard for me, she's the primary breadwinner for our family she's held us together, going through this and watching her lose her job and no explanation, I don't understand it," said Waters.

Action News contacted HCCA's CEO multiple times for comment today but he did not return our messages.

An attorney for the healthcare district says when it comes to receiving paychecks from HCCA. The employees will have to go after the management company themselves since they are the company that needs to pay them.