Texas Children's Hospital in Houston is giving a 2% raise and an extra week of vacation to its entire workforce for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Our health care heroes' resiliency and determination over the last year was unmatched, and I am so thankful for their dedication to our patients, health plan members and each other," Texas Children's President and CEO Mark Wallace said in a statement.
Wallace asked his senior leadership team to continue to support other initiatives that support staff, including recruiting and retaining the best talent, focusing on the mental and physical health of employees and improving diversity, equity and inclusion programs, according to a news release.
"The people who work here are our greatest strength," Linda Aldred, senior vice president of human resources, said in a statement. "They are what set Texas Children's apart and allow us to serve our community in a big way, throughout the pandemic and beyond. This investment represents a bold first step in our journey together towards a brighter tomorrow."
Texas Children's also gave two rounds of stipends to front-line employees during the pandemic. The latest, in January, awarded full-time employees $500 and part-time employees $250, according to KHOU, a Houston TV station.
A spokesperson for the hospital said the changes in salary and paid time off will affect about 16,000 employees and go into effect June 13.