MARTINS FERRY — More than 60 East Ohio Regional Hospital employees filed reports with the Martins Ferry Police Department in recent days, complaining of unpaid insurance claims and not receiving their wages.

As another payday approaches at the end of this week, EORH employees have still not seen their pay word since March 7 deposited in their bank accounts.

The police department is in the very early stages of an investigation into the matter, according to Sgt. Vincent West. He said the FBI has been contacted, as has the Belmont County Prosecutor’s Office for consultation on the case.

Around 20 employees came in at the same time on Monday to file reports, West said.

Some employees have said they heard from managers and the hospital’s human resources department that they would be paid Monday or today; however, as of Monday evening, they still had not received their pay.

Employees have expressed confusion as to why their paychecks show up in the payroll app Paylocity, but the number appears to be negative.

An all-staff email from Human Services Director Rick Oliver explained that the negative numbers showing up in Paylocity are due to payroll being voided and rerun. He said in his email that he has received a lot of questions from employees about this.

“If the new value doesn’t show up on your account now, it will soon,” Oliver’s email states. “Sorry for any confusion or misunderstanding.”

Many employees are saying they have lost access to their EORH email accounts, some after asking questions or raising concerns about not being paid. Employees have been sharing updates with each other on social media.

Some employees have floated the idea of demonstrating or picketing the hospital, demanding their owed wages. Others are still showing up to work despite not being paid.

In an email from EORH owner John Johnson on Thursday, employees were alerted that the hospital’s “ancillary services” would be terminated in an effort to focus on payroll disbursement. Johnson’s email also included a link for employees to apply for unemployment.

Johnson’s message said the Emergency Room would remain open with limited staff in order to continue meeting patient needs.

A day later, Oliver sent a memo to employees informing them that the hospital would begin voluntary layoffs. In that message, Oliver also provided unemployment resources to employees.

Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Julie Ross, who has held the titles of chief operating officer and chief nursing officer, also did not respond to a request for comment. In recent emails, Johnson’s email signature has been updated to include the COO title, but there has been no formal announcement as to whether Ross still holds that position.

Some employees have said they are struggling to make ends meet and provide for their families in this period without income.