Hartford HealthCare will raise its minimum wage to $20 an hour, a change expected to affect about 4,000 employees, the Hartford Courant reported Sept. 26, citing documents it obtained.
The change takes effect Dec. 27 for eligible employees, according to a memo from President and CEO Jeffrey Flaks shared with Becker’s. The system will also adjust pay for other affected positions “to help keep compensation fair and equitable,” he wrote. The change is based on an annual wage analysis finalized this summer.
The new rate is about $3 above Connecticut’s current minimum wage of $16.94 an hour, which rises to $17.48 on Jan. 1, 2027.
The increase primarily affects front-line employees across the system’s hospitals, ambulatory locations and support functions whose pay falls below the new rate, according to documents obtained by the Hartford Courant. An additional 4,000 employees will receive pay adjustments to address wage compression resulting from the increase, and the new rate will appear on the first paycheck of 2027, issued Jan. 14.
“We are incredibly proud to make this investment in our colleagues- the heart of our organization,” Mr. Flaks said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “This will positively impact thousands of colleagues. We value and respect them and the important work they do every day.”
Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements will continue to be paid under those contracts, and any changes tied to the new $20 minimum wage will be addressed in successor contract negotiations, according to the memo.
Hartford HealthCare has 48,000 employees and contingent staff across more than 500 locations in 185 Connecticut towns and cities, according to the system’s website.
