HCA offers COVID-19 bonuses to employees

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare will provide a one-time bonus to full-time and part-time facility-based employees in November as part of actions to recognize their service during the COVID-19 pandemic, CEO Sam Hazen said Sept. 17 in an email to workers.

Mr. Hazen said active full-time and part-time corporate and division workers who received a pay reduction will receive a bonus, equal to half of that reduction. Senior officers will not receive the bonuses. The bonuses also don't apply to union-represented workers, who are subject to contract talks.

The bonuses come as the for-profit hospital operator is adjusting decisions it previously made in response to the pandemic.

Mr. Hazen said HCA reduced discretionary spending; suspended annual merit increases; implemented temporary salary cuts for corporate and division teams; and announced a reduction in 401(k) contributions to union-represented employees earlier during the public health crisis. HCA also reduced capital expenditures, suspended dividends and halted share buybacks.  

Now, the company said it is adjusting some of those decisions in recognition of employees' service and sacrifice. In addition to the bonuses, HCA in November will implement merit increases for active workers who did not get them earlier this year, and it won't implement the planned reduction in the company's 401(k) matching contribution for union-represented workers.

"The future still holds many unknowns, including developments related to COVID-19; the economy; the recovery in demand for our services; healthcare coverage; and the potential for adverse changes in public policy coming out of federal and state governments," Mr. Hazen wrote in his email to workers. "We may need to make adjustments again as we gain better insight into these issues. But, as I continue to visit hospitals and talk to our colleagues and physicians, I remain both inspired by the incredible work you do and confident that we will continue to succeed and honor our mission."

HCA has about 280,000 employees and operates 186 hospitals in the U.S. and United Kingdom.

 

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