Atrium Health cheated employees over retirement, health benefits, lawsuit claims

A group of former Atrium Health employees has filed a federal class action lawsuit against the health care company, alleging that the massive hospital chain has cheated thousands of employees over retirement and health benefits by falsely claiming to be an arm of government.

Atrium, formerly Carolinas HealthCare System, is Charlotte’s largest employer. It oversees more than 40 hospitals and employs more than 65,000 people across three states.

But those employees don’t get the same protections that most non-governmental workers receive, the lawsuit maintains. As a result, the suit alleges, many employees are paying too much for their health care and some have missed out on retirement benefits.

The lawsuit was filed Monday by five former Atrium employees “on behalf of all others similarly situated.” If they are successful, it could result in substantial payments to current and former employees.

Read more: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article221584890.html