Indianapolis News and HeadlinesIndianapolis Local NewsIndianapolis

Actions

Harrison College employees lose promised benefits after school abruptly closes

Posted at 10:43 PM, Sep 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-18 22:43:56-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- Hundreds of faculty members at Harrison College got quite a shock when they learned the health insurance benefits they'd been promised - and were paying for - didn't exist. 

"It just seems like bad planning all around," said Trevor Farnsworth, former Harrison College instructor. "Like, almost, did you know this was going to happen? Did you not know that there was not funds to pay for any of this?"

The college announced Friday that they would be closing for good, effective Sunday. Employees were sent an email from their CEO that day saying that they would continue to have health insurance through the rest of September. 

READ | Several schools step up to help former Harrison College students

Then Monday, they got another surprise. 

"We got an email that said it was a pay-in through both employees and the company and since they're not receiving payments from us anymore that there's no more benefits," said Farnsworth. 

The Department of Labor says they can only recover unpaid wages, they have no control over health insurance or benefits. 

READ | Harrison College closes all campuses in Indiana

The Department of Workforce Development says former Harrison employees' only option is to file for unemployment insurance. 

"Were we just a way to make money for somebody," said Farnsworth. "And were we doing any good in the end?"

MORE TOP STORIES | Harrison College closing all Indiana campuses | Greenfield parents upset after students get breadsticks formain entree at lunch | Nearly 500 mosquitos in 57 countiestestpositive for West Nile | Indiana teen charged inmurderof 2 siblings | Woman dies after road rage shooting

Top Trending Videos