Atrium Health Navicent joins other Middle GA employers increasing minimum wage

Atrium Health Navicent recently increased the minimum wage paid to its hourly employees, joining a growing number of Middle Georgia businesses doing the same.

The new $12.50 per hour wage at Atrium Health Navicent is $5.25 more per hour than the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

The prior minimum wage at Atrium Health Navicent was $10 an hour.

Pay is also being raised for key clinical roles such as nurses and therapists, according to an Atrium Health news release.

The increases are part of a $180 million, system-wide investment by Atrium Health in employee pay. Other initiatives include providing annual merit pay increases two months early and one-time patient care bonuses, according to the release.

“Our teammates are our most important resource not only in fighting COVID-19, but in improving the overall health and wellness of the communities we serve,” Atrium Health Navicent CEO and president Delvecchio Finley said in the release. “Battling the pandemic over the last 18 months has taken a toll on healthcare workers.

“We’re excited to reward our teammates for their dedication and provide this added investment in our workforce and the local economy at a time when families and individuals need it the most.”

The minimum wage increase showed up in the 5,100 affected employees’ paychecks Sep. 10 with the other pay increases to take effect in November.

Employers up the ante

Other Middle Georgia employers that have recently raised their minimum wage include:

• YKK AP America, which has manufacturing centers in Macon and Dublin, increased its minimum wage to $15 an hour. The change went into effect this past Labor Day.
• Macon-Bibb County commissioners are bumping up the minimum wage for government employees to $14 an hour effective January 2022 and again to $15 effective January 2023. The current minimum wage for employees of the consolidated government is $12.66. The increase impacts just over 160 employees.
• Macon Water Authority increased the minimum wage for its employees to $15 effective Sept. 6 of this year. Less than 40 employees were impacted, according to a Center for Collaborative Journalism article.

Two Middle Georgia employers known not only for their competitive salaries but also their benefits packages are currently advertising hourly positions starting at $15 to $17 and from $16.25 to $19.50.

Geico in Macon offers a starting pay at $16.25 per hour for customer service positions of title specialists and in emergency road service, the company’s website shows.

Also, sales and customer service representatives start at $17.50 an hour and that’s bumped up to $19.50 for new hires in those positions who have a four-year degree, according to the company’s website.

The car insurance company also offers benefits that include health, dental and vision coverage, paid vacation and holidays, parental leave, a 401(k) retirement plan and continuing education and tuition reimbursement.

Buc-ee’s travel center in Warner Robins is advertising $15 to $17 an hour pay for cashiers, warehouse/grocery stockers and gift merchandise associates, the company’s website shows.

Also, the travel center, which is open 24 hours daily, pays $17 an hour for positions in deli/food service and in cleaning/janitorial and maintenance, according to the company’s website.

Buc-ee’s also offers healthcare coverage, a matching 401(k) retirement plan and three weeks of paid time off. The Warner Robins travel center in Warner Robins is located within city limits but has a Fort Valley mailing list. When using Buc-ee’s online job search, type in Fort Valley, GA, to find jobs at the Warner Robins travel center.

Amazon, which has a fulfillment center in Macon, was among the first national employers to bump its minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2018.

Tuesday, Amazon corporate announced plans to hire 125,000 new delivery and warehouse workers for an average starting salary of $18 an hour, The Associated Press reported. The company’s minimum wage remains at $15, though.

Other national companies that employ Middle Georgia workers that raised their minimum wage this year include Best Buy and Target. Both start workers at $15 an hour, AP reported.

Starting Sept. 25, the minimum wage at Walmart will rise to $12 an hour, up $1 an hour from the current wage of $11 an hour. But some Walmart stores may pay as much as $17 an hour, according to a New York Times article.