Three former NOAA employees told NBC News they had received debt notices from the federal government for health care coverage.
Some former employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who were fired, rehired and fired again this spring say they have received debt notices from the federal government to pay it back for health care coverage. Those workers also say the notices are for coverage they never had.
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Three former NOAA employees shared letters titled “DEMAND NOTICE FOR PAYMENT” with NBC News. The letters, dated June 16, claimed the employees owed a debt — sometimes hundreds of dollars — and that interest could be charged. The letters also warned that the debt would be reported to a credit bureau if it went unpaid.
“It’s very gloomy and threatening language,” said Sarah Cooley, who was fired as the agency’s ocean acidification program director in late February.
