EIRMC announces plans for employees working with reduced hours
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The following is a news release from Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. EastIdahoNews.com file photo
IDAHO FALLS — Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, as part of HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, is announcing a comprehensive effort to protect its colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the HCA’s Healthcare’s scale and scope that allows for these benefits that directly assist EIRMC colleagues.
Over the past few weeks, EIRMC has experienced a massive decrease in surgery and outpatient volume as a result of COVID-19, leading to a reduction of hours for many of our colleagues. In response, HCA Healthcare announced a new “pandemic pay continuation” policy to help protect financial security for front-line caregivers at all facilities. It applies to all HCA Healthcare employees, including those at EIRMC.
For colleagues with reduced hours who work in clinical facilities or support areas, we are making every effort to redeploy them so that they can keep working. Those who cannot be redeployed will receive 70 percent of base pay for up to seven weeks until HCA Healthcare better understands the long-term implications of this pandemic on the organization.
“This pandemic is unique, and our colleagues’ concerns are real,” said Jeff Sollis, CEO of EIRMC. “We want them to know that we care like family, and stand with them. If we are to emerge stronger, more resilient and more capable to meet our nation’s healthcare challenges, we recognize that this cannot happen without supporting all of our colleagues in these trying times.”
For colleagues working in patient care facilities who are quarantined per CDC guidelines, the hospital will pay 100 percent of base pay for scheduled hours regardless of where the exposure took place. Colleagues who do not work in a patient care facility and are quarantined per CDC guidelines, will be eligible for short term disability while they are ill.
Other benefits and programs already in place include options for child or elder care, free Doctors on Demand telemedicine to assist those who cannot get in to see their regular provider, HCA Hope Fund grants for colleagues with financial needs, and emotional support and counseling services.
In addition, HCA Healthcare announced that its senior leadership team will take a 30% cut in pay until the pandemic passes. HCA Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen will donate 100% of his paycheck for eight weeks to the HCA Hope Fund, and other senior leaders will make significant contributions. In similar fashion, EIRMC’s CEO, CNO, CFO, and COO are also contributing to the HCA Hope Fund that helps EIRMC and HCA Healthcare employees in immediate financial need.
HCA Healthcare’s Board of Directors has also waived their cash compensation for the remainder of the year allowing the company to make an additional contribution to the HCA Hope Fund.