Cleveland, OH, Apr 20, 2000 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Cleveland) today called on the federal Department of Labor to “intervene and provide and immediate response in order to ensure that Primary Health Systems employees’ pension benefits are protected,” following news reports that approximately 1,000 former PHS employees are at risk of losing their 401(k) pension benefits.

“PHS filed for bankruptcy last year and recently closed Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland,” wrote Rep. Kucinich in a letter sent today to Alexis Herman, Secretary of the federal Department of Labor. “News reports have recently generated concern that the employees terminated due to the closing of this hospital are going to lose their pension benefits. It has been reported that PHS has frozen their employees’ money and has denied them all access to it. Such a condition is obviously unacceptable since it implies that hard working Americans could be cheated out of their hard earned retirement security.”

Furthermore, wrote Kucinich: “PHS’ past questionable conduct in the management of their finances further exacerbates concerns that PHS may have violated fiduciary duties owed to their employees. Specifically, I am requesting that the Department of Labor immediately review this situation. I further ask that the Department of Labor communicate with all participants of the plan to assure them that their money is safe.”