![MetroHealth announced a wage increase, with all employees now making a minimum wage of $15 per hour. [MetroHealth]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a7c2b9b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/840x560!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F3%2F15%2Fstockccp.jpg)
MetroHealth announced a wage increase Friday, with all employees now making a minimum wage of $15 per hour.
The average wage increase is 12.1 percent and will affect 928 employees, many of whom work in entry-level positions like patient transport, food services, and facilities maintenance.
The wage increase reflects a commitment to provide support to employees, says President and CEO Dr. Akram Boutros.
"Their financial health is as important to us as their physical health," Boutros said. "We cannot ask our staff to be at their very best if they have significant worries at home, and finances are certainly one of them."
Earlier this year, the Cleveland Clinic raised its minimum wage to $14, with a planned increase to $15 by 2020. Several other hospitals across the country have raised wages as well, or plan to.
Ohio’s minimum wage is around $8 an hour.
Beginning in January 2020, MetroHealth employees will also have no out-of-pocket costs for healthcare if they go to MetroHealth.