Mountain State Times

The West Virginia Department of Health Facilities (DHF) has announced the hiring of over 80 new employees at its state-run facilities. This follows the implementation of recruitment and retention initiatives launched in January, which have also converted 40 contracted staff to state employees and decreased the vacancy rate by eight percent.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment,” said Michael J. Caruso, DHF Cabinet Secretary. “We are committed to providing excellent care for our patients, while also ensuring our staff are fairly compensated.”

The new classification and compensation system was created by the Office of Shared Administration’s Office of Human Resources Management, based on recommendations from a market study conducted by Korn Ferry. The initiative includes:

- New pay rates accounting for employee tenure.

- Flexible work schedules catering to employee preferences.

- Increased incentives for difficult shifts.

- Targeted funding for hard-to-fill positions.

- Appointment incentives for critical need positions, such as those in nursing.

Since its implementation, DHF has successfully converted 40 contract nurses to state employees, resulting in cost savings for taxpayers.

The new system ensures that employees retain their existing benefits package, including health insurance, dental, vision, and life insurance. For more information about employment opportunities within DHF, visit Career Opportunities (wv.gov).