Pennsylvania’s top prosecutor is looking to compel the owners of embattled Ellwood City Medical Center to pay compensation owed to about 150 employees let go by the company.

Earlier this week, Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed a petition in Lawrence County to force the owners of Ellwood City Medical Center to pay wages, unemployment taxes and pension contributions due to about 150 hospital workers who have not been paid.

“These workers deserve to be paid, and we will fight to make sure every hospital worker gets what they’re owed,” Shapiro said. “We’re standing up for workers and for the entire community that relies on this hospital for life-saving care.”

A news release issued Monday said Shapiro is asking the court to hold Americore Health, Americore Health Solutions and Grant White accountable for promises made when the group purchased the hospital in 2017.

The petition further asks that the court compel the owner to continue paying their employees and keeping the hospital open to provide crucial emergency medical services.

White is listed in the complaint as CEO of Americore Health and president and owner of Americore Health Solutions.

According to the court filing, when the defendants agreed to purchase the 100-year-old nonprofit hospital, they promised Shapiro and the Lawrence County Court that they would operate the hospital — including a 24/7 emergency department — for at least 10 years. Additionally, they agreed to obey all federal and state laws and fully fund employee pensions.

However, according to Shapiro, Ellwood City Medical Center failed to pay workers’ wages and stopped paying workers completely after just two partial payments.

Shapiro also argues in his petition that ECMC announced layoffs without employee notice, adding that the majority of the 152 laid off employees have not been paid their full wages.

Shapiro’s office reports that Americore and White engaged in similar activity around the country of acquiring community hospitals, running them into the ground, and leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.

Shapiro is asking the court to order Americore and White to pay all outstanding wages and unemployment compensation taxes, bring ECMC into compliance with emergency room licensure requirements — including operational equipment — and to continue to operate ECMC, and strip Americore and White of all ownership rights should they fail to bring the hospital into compliance and appoint a trustee or receiver to operate ECMC.