Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced that nurses employed within the state”™s agencies will be receiving pay raises as part of a new effort to increase recruitment and improve retention among the state”™s health care workforce.
According to a press statement issued by the governor”™s office, the increases will benefit approximately 6,500 employees located across 15 state agencies. With these wage upgrades, the starting salary of registered nurses working the day shift will be raised to nearly $90,000 for those working upstate and $108,000 for those based downstate.
The state upgraded select nursing titles, with the upgrades representing an average pay increase of 4.5% per title. Registered nurse titles will also now be hired at the midpoint of the salary range and will receive an updated shift pay to include an increase of 7% of base pay for the evening shift (4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.) and an increase of 10% of base pay for the night shift (12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.).
The governor”™s office also noted that the pay increases are in addition to increased geographic pay differentials for registered and licensed practical nurse titles enacted earlier this year. In July, registered nurse positions located in Mid-Hudson and downstate locations received a $35,000 geographic pay differential, a 94% increase from the previous $18,000 differential, while registered nurse positions located in the rest of the state also received a $20,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 67% from the previous $12,000 pay differential.
In May, licensed practical nurse positions located in Mid-Hudson and downstate locations received a $13,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 550% from the previous $2,000 differential and positions located in the rest of the state received a $4,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 100% from the previous $2,000 differential.
The salary increase is expected to have the greatest impact within the State University of New York, which has 3,381 eligible employees. Other agencies that will benefit from the salary increases are the Office of Mental Health (1,663 employees), Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (674 employees), Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (518 employees), Department of Health (371 employees) and Office of Addiction Services and Supports (120 employees).
“After more than two years on the frontlines in the battle against Covid-19, New York nurses deserve more than our gratitude ”” they deserve fair and competitive pay,” said Hochul, a Democrat who is seeking re-election in November. “These wage increases reflect our state”™s commitment to supporting our health care workers and will help us retain and recruit the next generation of nurses to keep New Yorkers safe.”
“New York state employs thousands of nurses, who provide critical services across our state agencies to protect the health and well-being of New Yorkers,” said New York State Department of Civil Service Commissioner Timothy Hogues. “By offering our nurses with these well-deserved pay increases, our partner agencies will be better positioned to retain these talented and dedicated employees.”
