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Employees complain about Rest Haven buyer

The for-profit company buying Schuylkill County’s nursing home is increasing heath insurance premiums to $700 a month for family coverage, cutting hours, and plan to change the name from Rest Haven to Rosewood Health and Rehabilitation Center, angry employees told commissioners on Wednesday.

“You’re going to lose good employees. And who’s going to suffer? The residents,” said retired Rest Haven employee Guy Wiederhold.The employees also said the new owners, Investment 360 of Lakewood, New Jersey, who are buying the home for $10.9 million, are keeping them in the dark about whether or not they will still have jobs after the Sept. 1 closing.The company, said union representative Jo Waugh, has told other agencies it plans to “clean house” when it takes control.Clearly taken aback, commissioners told county Administrator Mark Scarbinsky to call the company to arrange a meeting to resolve the issues.“We’ll have a conversation with Investment 360,” said commissioners Chairman Frank J. Staudenmeier.Investment 360 Chief Operating Officer Lisa Sofia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Waugh also said employees have not received their severance contract paperwork, although commissioners on Aug. 6 approved the closing agreement with employees covered under AFSCME Local 1721.She said employees are most upset about the increase in insurance premiums.Now, employees pay $80 a month, with a $1,000 deductible, for family coverage.Under Investment 360, that will go to $770 a month, with an $11,000 deductible.Commissioners on Aug. 20, 201,4 announced they had decided to sell Rest Haven after learning the home, behind the Penn State campus along Route 61 in Schuylkill Haven, was running $4.6 million in the red.Commissioners in May agreed to sell Rest Haven, in Schuylkill Haven, to Investment 360 after a sale to Nationwide Healthcare Services of Brick, New Jersey, fell through.Rest Haven is a 142-bed facility with about 113 full-time and 27 part-time employees.