Harris County non-profit health provider abruptly fires more than 100 employees
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - The new year is starting on the unemployment line for more than a hundred people who've been laid-off from Harris County's Community Health Choice insurance program. The end of COVID emergency funding has forced the non-profit to tighten its belt, and the lean times included an abrupt message to employees that they were out of a job.
A nurse, who was among those fired, told us about the development says the news came Friday afternoon. She says about a hundred employees, asked to connect to a virtual Zoom-like meeting, were told they were fired, effective immediately.
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"I was in shock, and I was numb," she says, I still am; I can't believe it."
In a statement, Community Health Choice says the reduction in force (RIF) comes after the end of COVID public health emergency funding cost more than a third of its Medicaid membership. As a result, there wasn't enough money to keep all the staff. As for the sudden layoffs, the statement says, "We deeply regret the need for this action and its impact on our valued team members. We approach this with the utmost respect and sensitivity."
Some of the workers are represented by the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees, AFSCME. Local 1550 Executive Director Cynthia Cole says the union asked the non-profit health provider, last fall, about potential job losses.
AFSCME says, in part, "We were told... there was not going to be any reduction in workforce... It was a sneak move, and it impacted many families, and it's completely unacceptable."
Meantime, the now-fired nurse is still trying to figure what comes next, after losing the job she's had for more than 12 years.
"It is harsh on all of us, even the ones who are still remaining there," she says. "The fear of now knowing what's gonna' happen, losing your job."
The nurse says she heard from now-former coworkers that those firings continued into the new week. AFSCME Local 1550 says the union has an initiative, called Staff The Front Lines, designed to find jobs for health care workers, and they'll be working with this latest group to see what positions they might be able to fill.
Full Statement from Community Heath Choice:
"Community Health Choice was forced to make the difficult decision to impose a reduction in force (RIF) on Friday due to a significant decrease in Medicaid enrollment related to the end of the Public Health Emergency program. Due to the unwinding of the Public Health Emergency, we have lost around 34.5% of our Medicaid membership and continue to partner with local community-based organizations to assist individuals with redetermination. We deeply regret the need for this action and its impact on our valued team members. We approach this with the utmost respect and sensitivity. Our dedicated team is working closely with those affected to provide comprehensive support during this transition. This includes severance, career counseling, job placement, and other forms of assistance for those who qualify. Community Health Choice remains committed to our mission of improving the health and well-being of the underserved. We are navigating these challenging times with the strength and resilience that define our organization. Optimistic about the future, we will continue to adapt and evolve to serve our community effectively."