Former Birth Center of Chicago employee says she's still awaiting wages months after closure
Former Birth Center of Chicago employee says she's still awaiting wages months after closure
More than two months after the Birth Center of Chicago abruptly closed its doors, at least one former employee says she is still waiting to be paid.
CHICAGO - More than two months after the Birth Center of Chicago abruptly closed its doors, at least one former employee says she is still waiting to be paid.
FOX Chicago first reported on May 28 that workers connected to Birth Partners Incorporated, the company that operated the Birth Center of Chicago, claimed they had not received paychecks after the facility shut down.
Now, former employee Tanesha Gunn says the issue remains unresolved.
The backstory:
"So I have been paid a little over $1,200, which is one of my checks," Gunn said. "I am still waiting for two checks."
Gunn, who worked for the company for years, says she has since received partial payment but is still owed hundreds of dollars.
"$600 or so now," she said.
The unpaid wages are just one of several financial concerns surrounding the organization.
Cook County property records show the owners of the Birth Center of Chicago building, located at 3832 N. Lincoln Ave., are delinquent on property taxes. Records indicate more than $64,000 is owed for tax years 2024 and 2025.
The challenges facing the company appear to extend beyond Illinois.
Dig deeper:
A facility connected to the company in Tampa, Florida, is now closed. Meanwhile, former employees in Portland, Oregon, have reported similar concerns, including missed paychecks and sudden closures.
Gunn said workers in multiple states are worried they may never receive the money they earned.
"I'm actually quite fearful that we won't be receiving that because it's not just the Portland birth center. North Carolina is facing the same thing," Gunn said.
The closures have left former employees, patients and families searching for answers while raising questions about accountability across the company's network of birth centers.
FOX Chicago again reached out to Dr. Dele Ogunleye, CEO of Birth Partners Incorporated, for comment and received this response:
"Thank you for your continued interest. We are paying staff as soon as we receive payment from insurance companies for previously rendered services. This process will continue until everyone is paid," the statement reads.
In a statement previously provided to FOX Chicago, Ogunleye said the closure of the company's birth centers was driven by significant financial pressures and inadequate insurance reimbursements.
"The closure of our birth centers has been one of the most difficult challenges during my leadership at Birth Partners Inc.," the statement read in part.
Ogunleye also said the company was conducting an internal review and working to address outstanding issues involving employees and patients.
What's next:
For Gunn, however, the issue remains simple.
Asked what she would say to the CEO if given the opportunity, she responded:
"All we're asking is for our wages. We're asking for you to respect us the way that we respected and carried your company."
The Source: The information in this article came from an interview with former Birth Center of Chicago employee Tanesha Gunn, a review of Cook County property records and previous Fox Chicago reporting.