AURORA, Colo. — A week after Children’s Hospital stunned some employees by cutting a full-ride tuition benefit the hospital used to recruit some healthcare workers, hospital administrators have reversed course.
Steve On Your Side first reported on Friday that the hospital sent a notice to employees saying it would cap tuition benefits for all employees at $5,250 starting in 2024, negating fully-funded tuition benefits the hospital advertised starting in 2022 – noting it was the first pediatric hospital in the country to offer such a benefit.
Dozens of staffers at the hospital reached out to 9NEWS, worried the sudden cuts would leave them with thousands of dollars in debt if they continued their degree programs, or leave them with unfinished degrees.
In many cases, employees said they had enrolled in programs specifically because the hospital offered to pay for them.
On Tuesday, Children’s Hospital Colorado CEO Jena Hausmann wrote to employees that hospital administrators had conversations with impacted staffers over the past week and decided to reverse course.
“While we did our best to make our original decision thoughtfully and with care and consideration, it is based on those conversations and relationships with our team members that we have decided to maintain the original benefits offered to those currently enrolled in a fully funded Guild program,” Hausmann wore in an email. “While we still need to make changes to this program due to significantly higher than expected enrollment, we have decided to maintain the original benefits offered to those who were enrolled in a Guild program and make program adjustments for future enrollees.”
She went on to explain the hospital won’t accept any new enrollments for tuition assistance for employees in 2024, except for very select, targeted technical programs -- and that those benefits will be capped at $5,250.
“We plan to use 2024 to continue to evaluate and optimize professional development and workforce strategies going forward,” Hausmann wrote. “We remain committed to career development for all team members, and we are exploring some additional avenues to support that, including the possibility of programs outside the Guild catalog.”
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