Virtua Increases Minimum Wage To $15.15 An Hour

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ - Marlton-based Virtua Health System is increasing its minimum wage to $15.15 an hour effective Jan. 1, 2019, the health system announced on Wednesday.

It is the second health system in South Jersey to raise its minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. Cooper University Health Care System announced it would raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour last month, also effective Jan. 1, 2019.

The decision will increase the wages of 900 to 1,000 individuals at Virtua, including full-time, part-time, and per-diem employees. Virtua employs more than 9,000 people in total, according to the health care system.

“Virtua is consistently listed among the best places to work in the region due in large part to a commitment to recruiting and retaining talent. Leadership routinely evaluates all aspects of what makes us a respected and sought-after employer, and have been contemplating this move for some time. We want to send a clear signal to our employees that we care about them,” Virtua President and CEO Dennis W. Pullin said. “As the largest health system in South Jersey and one of the largest employers in the region, Virtua has a responsibility to the community. For our patients, that means delivering top-quality care close to home. For our employees, it’s about hiring the best people, providing opportunities for advancement, and fostering a caring culture you can’t find anywhere else.”

New Jersey's minimum wage is currently $8.60 an hour, but will go up to $8.85 on Jan. 1, according to nj.com. In 2013, voters approved a measure to increase the minimum wage to $8.25 from $7.25, and tied all increases thereafter to adjust for inflation.

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