Nursing home owner Makhlouf Mark Suissa is facing renewed scrutiny as the Service Employees International Union Healthcare of Missouri SEIU calls on the state attorney general to take legal action against him.
This follows a similar lawsuit filed by the Illinois attorney general in August, which compels Suissa to pay over $420,000 in back wages to former employees of Salem Village Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Joliet, IL.
The SEIU is urging Missouri prosecutors to follow suit regarding Northview Village Nursing Home, which Suissa owns and abruptly closed in December.
We demand Missouri prosecutors follow the Illinois attorney general’s lead and bring legal action against Suissa and his cohort of investors at the source of Northview’s sudden closure, stated Lenny Jones, state director for SEIU Healthcare Missouri.
The approach marks a shift, as employees often struggle to pursue compensation independently. In Illinois, the lawsuit revealed that 117 workers were owed $350,839 in underpaid wages, with an additional $70,000 in wages continuing to accrue since the filing date. The total owed is expected to increase by $17,496 each month until judgment is reached.
Jones emphasized the importance of accountability for Suissa’s actions, noting that former Northview employees are still grappling with the aftermath of the facility’s closure.
Many residents were relocated to other nursing homes in the St. Louis area, often without their belongings or adequate communication with their families.
The lawsuit names Suissa alongside co-owners David Aryeh and Shoshana Aryeh, as well as manager Eric Rothner, as defendants.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by workers and residents affected by the abrupt closures of nursing facilities and the need for legal recourse to address their grievances.