Mercy is increasing pay for more than 6,000 of its employees, the St. Louis system said Aug. 19.
Effective Sept. 19, the move will increase pay for employees to $15 an hour. That amount will also become the starting wage for new employees.
Lynn Britton, Mercy president and CEO, said in the news release that the system "decided to make the transition immediately, rather than in stages, because this critical decision can positively affect so many lives and families."
Mercy has more than 40,000 employees.