Christiana Care Health System is increasing its minimum wage to $15 an hour effective Feb. 1, 2019. The increase affects 500 current employees. With this pay increase, all Christiana Care employees will be at or above a $15 an hour wage. 

Christiana Care is the largest private employer in Delaware with nearly 12,000 employees and is the first health system in Delaware to make this commitment. 

“Our extraordinary caregivers are our most important investment,” said Christiana Care President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH. “We serve together, guided by our values, Excellence and Love. In every position, at every level of our organization, each of our employees plays a vital role in the care of our patients and their families. This is the right thing to do for our employees, and we also believe that it will have a positive economic impact on our community.

“This also is the right thing to do for the health of our community,” she said. “We know that there is a strong link between financial health and physical health, and as health care providers it’s important for us to lead by example in paying wages that support the financial security of our workforce.”

The increase affects a variety of positions including clerical, technical and service roles. 

The increase is above both the federal minimum wage, currently set at $7.25 an hour, and Delaware’s minimum wage, currently set at $8.25 an hour and scheduled to increase to $9.25 an hour in October 2019. 

“As the largest private employer in Delaware, it is important for us to set this standard as our caregivers support their families and contribute to the economic well-being of our state,” saidNeil Jasani, M.D., MBA, Christiana Care’s Chief People Officer. “This new policy strengthens our organizational vitality, increasing our ability to attract and retain the most talented employees in all positions and reinforcing our role as a sought-after employer and a great place to work.”

In 2018, for the 15th consecutive year, Christiana Care is recognized as one of the Top Workplaces in Delaware, according to an annual survey conducted by The News Journal.