Saint Joseph Health System (SJHS) is aware of the significant labor shortage that is impacting the entire health care field. The nursing profession is one of the hardest hit areas and it was experiencing significant shortages prior to the pandemic. This increase in demand has specifically impacted the need for nurses and surgical technologists who are closest to direct patient care. To recruit additional caregivers and retain our current team, SJHS will be increasing compensation rates for nurses and surgical technologists who work in specific areas where there are critical shortages.
Beginning October 24, 2021, the new compensation plan will take effect. The plan offers hourly incentives ranging from $10 to $32 per hour to qualifying colleagues depending on their years of professional experience and their shift selection. These incentives are not tied to a long-term agreement or contract. Instead, these incentives add to the base pay of the nurses or surgical technologists. For example, a nurse that has been licensed for three years and works the weekend position on the night shift, will receive $22.05 per hour in addition to their base rate of pay. If that base rate is $28.00 per hour, their new rate of pay will be $50.05 per hour.
In addition to these upcoming increases, SJHS also increased its minimum wage for any role within the health system to $15 per hour on August 29, 2021. SJHS is proud to make these significant investments in our workforce to ensure wages remain competitive in our marketplace and reinforce our belief that there is dignity in all work.
