Allegheny Health Network raises hourly minimum wage to $18
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Allegheny Health Network is boosting its minimum hourly starting wage to $18, the company announced on Friday.
AHN says the increase will start at the end of March, affecting about 1,700 employees who are already at or near the current minimum hourly wage of $16 an hour.
The company says the increase will have the greatest impact on those working in entry-level positions that are essential to the patient experience like environmental services, dietary services and patient care technicians.
"At AHN, we recognize that there is no more valuable asset to our organization than the exceptional caregivers we employ across every discipline, and we are committed to rewarding them appropriately for the important roles they all play in helping us accomplish our mission," said AHN president Jim Benedict in a news release.
Pennsylvania's minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 for 15 years. There have been pushes in Harrisburg to raise it, with Gov. Josh Shapiro's most recent budget calling for an increase.
AHN's parent company, Highmark Health, also announced Friday that it will implement an $18 hourly minimum wage elsewhere within the organization by the end of the year.
About 22,000 people work for AHN and the company says it's one of the region's largest employers.
"Our market-leading compensation and benefits packages, and our focus on creating a positive, fulfilling work-life experience for team members at every level, have positioned AHN as an employer of choice in the region, and that's a reputation we are extremely proud of," Benedict said.