Kansas City hospital raises its minimum wage to $15 a hour

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) – A Kansas City, Kansas, hospital has raised its minimum hourly wage to $15.

The University of Kansas Health System says in a news release that the change took effect Sunday and will be reflected in paychecks beginning March 5.

The announcement comes nearly a year into a global pandemic that has hit hospital staffs around the country particularly hard. It also comes as President Joe Biden’s administration is pushing for an increase of the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

The hospital says it has not laid off or furloughed staff during the pandemic and that the minimum wage increase is another step to support frontline workers.