This month, Denver Health Medical Center CEO Robin Wittenstein notified front-line health workers that they should expect paycuts.

Also this month: Denver Health's exec team got bonus checks ranging from $50k-$230K.

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/04/24/coronavirus-denver-health-bonus-ceo-pay-cuts

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These were "performance bonuses" for 2019, and it's entirely possible that the execs involved performed well in 2019.

But to pay them bonuses while cutting health-workers' salaries speaks volumes about the hospital's priorities. Presumably, the workers also performed well.

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And the downturn is no more the workers' fault than it is the execs' fault. What's more, the majority of execs can work from home, while the pay-cut workers are putting their lives in jeopardy to care for the sick and injured during a pandemic.

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Wittenstein is finessing the paycuts by asking the workers to use mandatory leave, paid leave, and personal leave to reduce payroll expenses.

The workers are low-waged. The execs are not. CMO Robert Borland's base pay is $270K, and he got a $53K bonus on top of that.

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GC Scott Hoye brings home $402k. His bonus was $78k on top of that. CMO Connie Price ($507K) got a bonus of $96K. CHRO Michelle Fournier-Johnson ($348K) got a bonus of $65K.

Wittenstein's base pay is $967K. Her additional bonus is $230K.

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"We want to try to pay people fairly." -R. Wittenstein.

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After the local CBS affiliate started asking for these figures, Wittenstein wrote to execs, "urging them to voluntarily give something back, suggesting they might waive accrual of PTO for 3 months, take unpaid time off or make a cash donation to the Denver Health Foundation."

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She says every exec took at least one of these suggestions, "So every single member of our leadership team, 100%, is making a contribution."

The hospital operates at a loss.

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