Hamilton Center raises minimum wage

Terre Haute-based Hamilton Center Inc. is raising its minimum wage to $17.75 per hour, the organization announced Thursday. The nonprofit regional behavioral health system’s CEO, Melvin Burks, said the change comes amid clinical staff shortages in a competitive environment.

The increase comes just two years after the health system raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Additionally, Hamilton Center plans to give current staff a 3.5% base pay increase if they meet a certain threshold on their performance evaluations. The organization said it will also absorb increases in healthcare premiums for employees.

“Our employees work hard each day to improve the quality of life of our internal and external customers” Burks said in a news release. “It is equally important that we work to improve the quality of life of our employees and their families.”

Hamilton Center has locations throughout central and west central Indiana, including in Bloomfield, Brazil, Clinton, Greencastle, Indianapolis, Linton, Plainfield, Rockville, Spencer, Sullivan, Terre Haute, and West Terre Haute.

The announcement comes just days after another behavioral health center, Harsha Behavioral Center, detailed plans to raise its hourly minimum wage from $15 to between $17-$19.