MVHS institutes wage increases, plans for bonus, recruiting programs

In total, these increases represent a $6.34 million investment in MVHS employees.

“The increase in the minimum wage makes our rates more competitive, which not only benefits our employees, but also will serve as an incentive to recruit additional employees. These rates include both nonunion and union employees. We are grateful to our unions who support these increases,” Darlene Stromstad, president and CEO of MHVS, said in a statement.

Other upcoming initiatives

Amid the staffing crunch the whole health-care industry is facing, MVHS says it is also working on a few other initiatives that are set for a Jan. 1 rollout, which are subject to final contractual approval with MVHS unions.

They include instituting referral bonuses payable to current employees who refer new employees for both registered nurses, or RNs ($5,000) and “critical” positions ($1,000). Those positions include care attendants, monitor techs, unit secretaries, ward clerks, phlebotomists, laboratory medical technologists, nutrition services, EVS (environmental services), laundry, psych tech, OB tech, respiratory therapists, and others.

They also include establishing sign-on bonuses ($1,000) for critical positions. MVHS currently has sign on bonuses for RNs ($10,000 for those with more than three years of experience, and $5,000 for those with less than three years).

In addition, MVHS also plans “aggressive” recruiting with outside firms, including proactively contacting potential applicants.

The health-care system also plans to communicate with community organizations to promote health-care careers and encourage applicants to pursue existing jobs.

It also wants to hold ongoing job fairs where applicants “can be hired on the spot.”