Atrium Health Navicent is making a significant additional investment into its local workforce, announcing an increase in the minimum starting rate wage for eligible teammates in Georgia to $18.85 per hour, which will be reflected on the teammates’ Jan. 30 paychecks.

The new minimum starting rate represents a $2.85 per-hour — or 17.8% — increase for teammates at Atrium Health Navicent, which is part of Advocate Health, the nation’s third-largest nonprofit health system.

The increase achieves Advocate Health’s enterprise‑wide goal of setting a unified minimum starting rate for all teammates across every market in six states, including Georgia. It is part of a planned $776 million in additional compensation investment for 2026 — one of the largest single‑year commitments in the system’s history — aimed at promoting long-term workforce stability, expanding career opportunities and cultivating a nationally competitive workplace that supports teammates who deliver exceptional care in the communities they serve.

“Increasing our minimum starting rate by $2.85 per hour — almost $6,000 more per year for a full-time teammate — is a meaningful change for those who make our mission possible,” said Delvecchio Finley, president of Atrium Health’s Georgia market. “Our teammates deserve compensation that reflects the skill, compassion and consistency they bring to their work every day. Investing in their financial well‑being is essential to sustaining a strong workforce that delivers trusted care in Macon and throughout the region.”

Since Navicent Health first joined what is now Advocate Health in 2019, the system has made significant, sustained investments in its workforce, including yearly minimum starting rate increases that have significantly outpaced the current minimum wage standards. Atrium Health Navicent teammates will now earn at least $11.60 per hour more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, or over $24,000 per year more than they would if they were paid the federal minimum wage, assuming a 40-hour work week. Since 2020, entry-level wages have increased by 160% at Atrium Health Navicent. 

A unified approach to competitive compensation

Advocate Health’s $776 million workforce investment advances a comprehensive compensation framework that includes:

• A unified $18.85 minimum starting rate for all divisions across entire six-state service territory — delivering consistency and creating a stable, competitive enterprise-wide entry wage for roles such as environmental services technicians, food service assistants, patient safety attendants, and patient and equipment transporters.

• Annual merit planning and pay-range adjustments, shaped by teammate feedback, to stay aligned with evolving market conditions.

• Investments in pay structures, pay grades and eligible base pay increases to strengthen retention and support workforce stability.

“Our patients and our teammates are at the center of every decision we make,” said Nakesha Lopez, executive vice president and chief people and culture officer at Advocate Health. “This minimum wage increase provides a solid foundation for every teammate, no matter where they begin. By continuing to align pay and career opportunities across our enterprise, we’re creating a future where teammates can grow with confidence and purpose.”

In determining pay structures, including minimum wage, across the enterprise, Advocate Health partners with leading third-party compensation consultants, participates in national market surveys, and analyzes reliable, law-compliant pay data to ensure our compensation rates are competitive, equitable and aligned with industry standards.