Settlements and Mass Resignations Await Operators Who Shortchange Urgent Care Workers

A primary care practice and several urgent care centers in Rhode Island have to pay 103 workers a total of $175,000 in back wages and “liquidated damages,” as well as paying $50,000 in civil penalties, to settle charges that they didn’t keep accurate records and thus failed to pay workers properly for overtime hours worked. The alleged infractions would constitute violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. An announcement on the website of the U.S. Department of Labor warned that as competition for quality workers increases—certain healthcare sectors are expected to grow 16% by 2030, adding some 2.6 million jobs—top talent will have the luxury of being choosy when deciding on their “next” employer. As such, recruitment and retainment could be challenging. This is not news for many urgent care operators, of course. In fact, JUCM published an article on Becoming the Employer of Choice for the Emerging Urgent Care Workforce. It’s available in our archive now.