Hospital Employees Get Pay Raises In 2013

DAYTON - Employees of the Columbia County Health System will reap benefits in the form of a 2.5 percent salary increase, approved by the hospital board along with the rest of the 2013 budget for the health system.

During the board meeting on Nov. 20, Chief Financial Officer John Hennessy said the cost of living is expected to increase by 1.7 percent in 2013, but because there was no salary increase last year, employees can expect a 2.5 percent salary bump across the board.

Hennessy said last year the 401(k) match benefit was cut from 5 percent to 3 percent and increasing the match back to 5 percent was an option, but it wouldn't have benefitted as many people.

"We have (about) 125 employees who will be affected by the salary increase and only about 20 people enrolled in the 401(k), and that's mostly department heads and managers," Hennessy said. "So we like to hit it where it helps the most employees."

The 401(k) match benefit will stay at 3 percent this year, Hennessy said.

On top of the $5,114,190 the hospital budgets for salaries, another $1,429,003 is in the budget for employee benefits, up 17.29 percent from 2011, bringing hospital employees to about 65 percent of the hospital's operating expenses, Hennessy said.

Hennessy said even with the salary increases, employee salaries overall are only increasing 0.93 percent from 2011 because several employees retired or moved on and the positions left behind will go on unfilled.

Health system board Chairman Ted Paterson said the salary increases are important to reward staff for their dedication.

"I think our efforts in the past year, given what (the staff) has been through and what they have accomplished, I think (the staff) has earned it," Paterson said.

Paterson said it is important to consider employee needs and to take care of the staff with salary increases, benefits and contributions to the 401(k) funds.

Paterson said there has also been an increase in effi- ciency across the hospital in areas like electronic billing and upgrades to the computer system at Booker Rest Home, which has helped bring in more revenue for the hospital and allowed the salary raises and benefits to land a line in the budget without costing the community more money.

Operating revenue is projected to increase 5.41 percent from 2012, to $10,020,410.

The total operating expense is projected up 3.59 percent from 2012 at $10,924,423. Non-operating revenue is projected to decrease by 6.06 percent to $985,000 after a projected decrease in interest income, grants and donations. There is also a projected bump in other non-operating income, from $ 2,816 in 2012 to $15,000 in 2013, an increase of 432.65 percent based on dietary and catering projections, Hennessy said.

"(Hennessy) has worked really hard with the staff and department heads to identify their needs in 2013," Paterson said.

Paterson said Hennessy met with department heads and worked to figure out what each department will need in the coming year.

"(Hennessy) has done a great job of doing that and representing where we're at this year and where we will be at next year," Paterson said.

The board will discuss board member elections at their next meeting on Dec. 27.