HSHS Increasing Minimum Wage Rate

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Published on October 15 2021 2:35 pm
Last Updated on October 15 2021 2:36 pm

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) is increasing the minimum wage for its colleagues to $15 an hour. This change will provide a rate increase to approximately 3,000 HSHS colleagues across Wisconsin and Illinois and is a multi-million-dollar annual investment from HSHS. Only about half of those colleagues are earning a rate below $15/hour. The other half of these colleagues are already earning above $15/hour. 

HSHS is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois and comprised of 9 hospitals in Illinois, 6 hospitals in Wisconsin, plus 183 clinics in Illinois through Prairie Heart Institute and HSHS Medical Group. In Illinois, HSHS hospitals include St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur, St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, Holy Family Hospital in Greenville, St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland, St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville and St. John’s Hospital Springfield. In total across the system HSHS employs approximately 13,000 individuals across two states – 8,600 in Illinois and 4,400 in Wisconsin.

For several years now, the HSHS minimum wage rates in Illinois and Wisconsin have remained higher than the respective state minimum wage rates. The state minimum wage in Wisconsin right now is $7.25/hour. And in Illinois the state minimum wage is currently $11/hour. “We feel it’s important to raise the HSHS minimum wage rate even a step higher right now so that we can better retain and attract the most engaged, committed and talented people to fulfill our healing mission,” said HSHS President and CEO Damond Boatwright. “HSHS is committed to investing in our colleagues by providing a total compensation and benefits package that recognizes each individual for their personal contribution to the exceptional service our patients expect.”

This HSHS minimum wage increase will apply to a number of entry level positions. “We truly hope this rate increase helps reinforce how much we respect and care about the important work these colleagues are doing around the clock,” said Boatwright. “Some of these colleagues are the ones helping keep patient rooms clean. Some help nourish our patients and their loved ones by preparing and serving food in our ministries. They help get our patients registered and checked-in when they arrive for care. And others help with important clinical work that truly makes our organization able to provide the great care that we do. We need more caring people in these roles at HSHS.”

Jobs in entry level roles have become increasingly competitive in the US over the last year. This rate increase continues to position HSHS to be highly competitive in the labor market, To search for open positions at HSHS, please visit https://careers.hshs.org/.  

The minimum wage rate increase will start on October 31, 2021. Salary increases for nearly all 13,000 HSHS employees will be occurring around this same time.