Some medical professionals working for a Lafayette doctor say they aren’t getting paid and don’t know when they will see the money.
One of the employees of Moore Healthcare Group says she quit earlier this week after her check bounced.
Jeanine, who does not want to be identified, had been working as a nurse practitioner for Dr. Patrick Moore for a little more than a year.
“I loved my job; I still love it. I love my job, but I can’t go to work for free,” she said.
Jeanine often drove from her home in Baton Rouge to work at the urgent care clinic in Opelousas.
“It was something I always wanted to do. It was my calling.”
The nurse practitioner said payments used to come as a direct deposit, but in February, employees started getting printed checks.
“March, that’s when their checks started bouncing, but my check actually bounced this May,” Jeannie said.
She sent an email to the director of operations, asking about the checks.
“[The director of operations] advised me that they didn’t have a check for me and didn’t know when I would be receiving a check. I called Dr. Moore. He said, ‘I can’t tell you what to do, but I don’t suggest that you stay at home. I would like you to continue to work for me instead of staying at home and doing nothing.’ I was baffled. I couldn’t say anything. I was still in shock.”
Jeannie says Moore Healthcare Group owes her $9,985 plus the $12 fee from her bank for non-sufficient funds.
“A word to the wise: Just be careful who you work for.”
The U.S. Department of Labor has also agreed to investigate the company because over the past 15 months, she was never paid time-and-a-half for her overtime.
“Now, we’re living off of our savings. Of course, my husband works, but we’re living off of our savings to get by,” she said.
I spoke with the director of operations at Moore Healthcare Group, Lisa Boudreaux, over the phone. She denied knowing about the situation, then said they have no comment.
Now, Jeanine says she plans to pursue legal action against the company for both the overtime owed to her plus her bounced pay check.
