TCIMC employee concerns addressed

In a meeting of the Navajo Health Care System Corporation’s 638 Steering Committee, held January 11, Lydia Hubbard-Pourier, CEO, addressed the concerns of employees of the Tuba City Indian Medical Center.

The Navajo Nation will be taking over the Navajo Area Indian Health Services; obtaining a 638 contract would establish the TCIMC as a regional affiliate of the Navajo Nation Health Care System, which would allow for local administration of the medical center.

Currently, federal and Navajo Nation employees staff the medical center. Federal employees include IHS commissioned officers, hard to fill positions such as lab technicians and other positions. There are over 4000 federal employees at Tuba City Indian Medical Center. The Navajo Nation employs an additional 400 employees.

The NHCSC has conducted public information meetings since August 2000, explaining the benefits of the 638 contract not only to employees, but community members. Those who continue to work at the medical center as corporation employees can expect salary and fringe benefits equal to or greater than those already received, Hubbard-Pourier explained. A major consulting firm, Deloitte & Touche, was hired to develop the compensation package; the firm assessed the present system through interviews and paper interview.

Deloitte & Touche also worked with other offices, such as the Office of Personnel Management to develop hard information and data on the costs of fringe benefits.

“One thing that they found was that, when compared, the Navajo Nation had better fringe benefits, medical and retirement plans than those of IHS employees,” Hubbard-Pourier explained. The Nation, she continued, also provided eye care benefits, not extended to federal employees.

Deloitte & Touche found, on the other hand, that IHS provided higher salaries for the job, some positions were paid much higher than the federal pay scale, but others were much lower.

The consulting firm recommended a schedule similar in structure to the IHS schedule, maintaining the same salaries while adopting similar or better fringe benefits.

Through the interview process, Deloitte & Touche learned that both Nation and federal employees were asking for performance incentives. “Many felt that they provided high performance, and felt that they were receiving the same pay as those who did not. Under the corporation, the top 30% of people who perform at high levels will receive financial incentives and bonuses on an annual basis,” Hubbard-Pourier explained.

Federal employees who remain with the corporation will see no changes in their base pay, paid time off and holidays, but will enjoy better performance incentives, health, dental and vision benefits, life/short term disability and long term disability, as well as employee cost sharing and retirement benefits.

Nation employee dental benefits, life/short term and long term disability coverage, paid time off and holidays as well as employee cost sharing will remain equal where employees remain with the corporation. On the other hand these employees will enjoy better base pay, performance incentives, health and vision benefits and retirement benefits.

IHS Commissioned Officers will be retained by signing a memorandum of agreement. IHS hardest to fill position employees, such as specialty lab personnel, have three options. They can accept an Intergovernmental Personal Assignment, Direct Hire with Federal Benefits and Direct Hire with NHCS benefits. Other federal full-time positions can either direct hire with federal benefits or direct hire with NHCS benefits. Temporary federal employees and Navajo Nation employees can remain only as direct hire with NHCS benefits.

“We plan on making the job offers on or after July 1, and allowing approximately 30 days to make a decision on which job offer they chose to select,” Hubbard-Pourier said. Counselors are available to those with no choice so that these employees can receive specific details to help them make an informed decision.

Donate to nhonews.com Report a Typo Contact
Most Read