Despite financial pressures resulting from Phoebe’s ongoing COVID-19 fight, the health system is announcing a substantial investment in its greatest asset – its people – raising the system’s minimum wage and providing raises and bonuses to the vast majority of employees.  In total, the wage increases, bonuses, and market adjustments represent an incremental annual investment of more than $9 million. 

Phoebe is raising the system minimum wage to $10 per hour for all employees and contract workers, with the pay increases going into effect in early December.  “Any employee currently making less than $10 an hour, and many making up to $12 an hour, will see an automatic raise in pay,“ said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System President and Chief Executive Officer.  “COVID-19 drove many health systems around the country to reduce staff, furloughing or laying off workers.  Not Phoebe.  Our employees were here when we needed them most, and we believe they should be rewarded for the heroic efforts they put in every day to keep our system and our community healthy and safe,” Steiner said.

Phoebe has also committed to giving merit pay increases and bonuses again this year. Normally, pay increases are based on an individual employee’s annual performance review and bonuses are tied to annual strategic goals; however, this is no normal year.  Therefore, Phoebe will provide an across-the-board 2.5% increase to all eligible employees and fund the maximum performance-based bonus amount for the majority of employees up to the manager level.

“COVID-19 may have prevented us from meeting all our strategic goals, but that is no one’s fault.  Our employee performance has been stellar, even in the face of this pandemic, and they deserve raises and bonuses,” Steiner said.

This is the fifth consecutive year Phoebe has provided bonuses, though notably, leaders at the director level and above will forgo bonuses to fully fund those for other employees.  “I hope these investments in our team show the members of the Phoebe Family how much we value all they do,” Steiner said. “They’ve gotten us through 2020, and I know they’ll be there for our communities in the years to come.”