CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Health Facilities (DHF) is pleased to announce the hiring of more than 80 new employees at its state-run facilities, following the implementation of new recruitment and retention initiatives launched in January. These efforts have resulted in new state employee hires, 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 system, a classification and compensation system created by the Office of Shared Administration’s Office of Human Resources Management, is designed to boost recruitment and retention initiatives and is based on recommendations from a market study conducted by Korn Ferry.

The initiative includes:

• New pay rates: This accounts for employee tenure. 
• Flexible work schedules: This caters to employee preferences. 
• Increased incentives for difficult shifts: This recognizes the additional challenges associated with certain shifts.
• Targeted funding for hard-to-fill positions: This addresses specific recruitment needs. 
• Appointment incentives: This allows for the recruitment of critical need positions, such as those in the nursing field. 

Since implementation, DHF has also reported success in converting 40 contract nurses to state employees, resulting in cost savings for taxpayers. 

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