ROGERS, Ark. — Due to restricted elective procedures and other non-emergency services, Mercy has set up two new support programs for workers experiencing finical loss during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a press release.
Some workers impacted by the change were redeployed to other areas.
Mercy started two new support programs for those unable to continue working:
- Through its new COVID-19 Furlough Pay program, Mercy will provide up to 80 hours of pay, pro-rated based on their traditional hours worked, to co-workers who may be impacted due to a temporary lack of work during the pandemic. It is available to all co-workers hired on or before March 22.
- Mercy also has set up a co-worker paid time off bank. Co-workers affected by service closures can draw on this bank once they have exhausted their available PTO, while co-workers who have remaining PTO can donate to the fund.
“During difficult times, Mercy is known to step up for its co-workers,” said Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “We learned many lessons about helping our co-workers in their time of need after the devastating Joplin tornado in 2011. We hope these programs offer some peace of mind to co-workers affected by canceled and reduced services due to COVID-19.”
Mercy says the priority is to place co-workers in areas where their talents and skills fit and where Mercy is seeing an increase in volume, such as Nurse on Call and other virtual services.
“We’ve created more than 100 new clinical and non-clinical positions, and we’re actively filling those roles with co-workers from other areas. They will receive their regular pay in those temporary positions,” said John Roller, executive director of human resources for Mercy Northwest Arkansas. “We are also planning for redeployments within the hospital if we get a surge of patients.”
