BJC Healthcare increases minimum wage to $15 per hour for 3,500 employees

Missouri-based non-profit healthcare organisation based BJC Healthcare, which employs 31,510 employees across the US, has announced that it will be increasing its minimum wage in a three-stage plan that will see 3,500 of its lowest paid employees benefiting from pay rises.

Employees currently being paid $10.10 (£7.80) per hour will have their rate increased to $12.65 (£9.86), effective from 27 October 2019. This will then increase again to $14 (£10.91) towards the end of 2020, with a further increase planned at the end of 2021, bringing the hourly rate up to $15 (£11.69).

BJC Healthcare is implementing this pay strategy as part of an ongoing investment plan to remain a competitive and appealing employer. The organisation is also continuing to review and adjust its total reward offering in a bid to address potential staffing challenges.

Other financial wellbeing benefits offered by BJC Healthcare include retirement savings plans, flexible spending pots for healthcare and care for dependants, life insurance for dependants, an employee discount programme and medical, dental and prescription drug coverage.

Rich Liekweg, president and chief executive officer at BJC Healthcare, said: “We’re making these changes to help our team members and their families better meet their financial needs. BJC is an organisation of people taking care of people, and it’s important that our 31,000 team members receive competitive pay and benefits.

This change to raise our minimum hourly pay rate represents a significant financial investment that we hope will help us retain talented team members to our organisation.”