Lee Memorial Health System

Benefits/Financial: Lee Memorial offers a 403(b) and a 457(b) retirement savings plan to its full- and part-time employees. Full-time employees receive an employer match to the 403(b) plan. Employees may invest in lifecycle funds, and employees 50+ can make catch-up contributions.

Employees receive financial planning information from staff members, from the firm that administers the company’s 403(b) plan, from external financial-planning experts, and from educational seminars.

The health system offers paid time off specifically designated for caregiving, short-term time off without pay, and long-term leaves of absence without pay, to allow for caregiving.

The company offers the following wellness programs to full- and part-time employees: flu shots, health screenings, health-risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, physical activity and exercise programs, weight loss programs, stress management training, and mini-sessions on safety and wellness topics. Seventy-three percent of the health system’s employees have used at least one of these wellness benefits during the past 12 months.

The health system offers on-site child care for children and for grandchildren, backup child care for children and for grandchildren, referral services to assist with child care for children and grandchildren, and for eldercare, to its full- and part-time employees. Lee Memorial received a $128,000 grant from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs to implement a caregiver’s support program.

Benefits/Alternative-Work Arrangements: Lee Memorial offers its full- and part-time employees the following alternative work arrangements: flextime, compressed work schedules, job-sharing, a formal phased retirement program, and telecommuting. The formal phased-retirement program allows employees to work part-time and temporary schedules of as few as 16 hours per week while maintaining full-time benefits. In addition, the Seasonal Months-Off Program and the Reduced Schedule Program offer flexible work opportunities to employees. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent or temporary basis.

Opportunities for Retirees: Lee Memorial currently has 817 retirees and a person directly responsible for retiree relations. The company stays connected with its retirees by communicating regularly, inviting them to organization events and celebrations, and providing ongoing access to retirement planning workshops and information. The health system offers retirees temporary work assignments, consulting and contract work, telecommuting, and full- and part-time work.

Age of Workforce: Thirty-eight percent of the company’s employees are age 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 11 years.