Minimum starting rate increase is part of $764 million investment by Advocate Health across six states
Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic announced a significant investment in their Georgia and Alabama workforce, raising the minimum starting rate, or the minimum hourly wage, to $16, effective Jan. 12. The increase recognizes teammates’ contributions to making communities better while also strengthening the health system’s impact on the local economy.
The starting rate increase is part of a $764 million investment – up more than 35% from the year prior – in compensation programs across all of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic are a part.
The move reflects an ongoing pledge to create and maintain one of the nation’s top workplaces by supporting the dedicated teammates who deliver compassionate care to patients and communities every day.
“Our communities trust us with their health, and they respect our teammates’ expertise,” Atrium Health Floyd President Kurt Stuenkel said. “This investment in our workforce recognizes that expertise and furthers our commitment to be the employer of choice and the provider of choice in the communities we serve by hiring the best teammates to provide the best health care.”
“Harbin Clinic has an earned reputation as top-tier specialists and medical providers in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama,” said Kenna Stock, President and CEO of the Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic Medical Group. “This increase will underscore the value we place in our team and help us to continue to staff our offices with committed and skilled teammates who are the backbone of our operations.”
Increasing the minimum starting rate for Georgia and Alabama-based teammates is one part of a broader effort to care for those whose work is integral to keeping local our communities healthy. Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic teammates will now earn at least $8.75 per hour more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
“We are committed to creating an environment where teammates feel valued, supported and empowered,” said Nakesha Lopez, chief people and culture officer at Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the nation. “Compensation is just one of the many ways we invest in, reward and recognize our devoted teammates. By prioritizing our investment in them, we can continue to foster a positive work environment that values long-term growth and development while also setting new standards for excellence in health care delivery.”
In addition, the health system will continue investing in teammates’ career growth, offering market-competitive pay and annual merit increases, as well as incentive plan compensation and premium payments for shift workers and on-call workers.Advocate Health in 2024 provided $29.5 million in educational assistance to more than 8,000 teammates and more than $253 million in annual merit increases.
