St. John's Regional Medical Center and employee union representatives have reached an agreement that will ensure paychecks keep coming during a temporary closure of the hospital next month.

The 1,500 members of the Service Employees International Union will vote Wednesday on whether to ratify the agreement.

The Oxnard hospital — the busiest in the county — plans to shutter patient-care wings Aug. 14 to fumigate a long-standing mold infestation. Patient admissions will be scaled back starting July 30, with the emergency room closing Aug. 8. The state still has to approve the plan and would also have to give its go-ahead before the hospital reopens Aug. 24.

Reached Friday after days of negotiations, the agreement attempts to soften the impact the closure will have on staff members, patients and other hospitals, said Rita O'Connor, a spokeswoman for St. John's. The 265-bed medical center treated and discharged 17,000 patients last year and saw 45,000 patients in its emergency room.

"This was a very collaborative process between the union and hospital," O'Connor said. "This agreement is in the interest of meeting the healthcare needs of the community and the interests of our employees."

Union representatives could not be reached for comment Monday.

A union flier encourages members to ratify the agreement, which guarantees regular wages during the closure for full- and part-time employees who agree to work at other area hospitals if requested.

If no work is available, employees would still be paid, under the agreement. Nurses and other workers would also receive full compensation if they work fewer hours while the hospital whittles admissions.

Ventura County Medical Center and Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, and St. John's sister hospital, Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, expect to be hit hardest by the closure. Employees will be asked to float to these hospitals and Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks when the need arises, O'Connor said. The hospitals have provided a list of staffing needs to St. John's management and the union.

The hospital and union are working together to assign employees based on their skills. Orientation will be provided for those going to work at other hospitals.

Employees will not be disciplined if they refuse a work assignment at another facility, but they will not receive wages, according to the agreement.