Novant Health recently announced it will implement a minimum wage based on local costs of living over and above the state-mandated minimum wage, commonly referred to as a living wage.

The Winston-Salem based health care system includes Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in Bolivia.

“Novant Health is committed to offering competitive compensation and benefits packages,” a news release stated.

“Novant Health is dedicated to caring for our communities, starting with our own team members. We want to remove barriers for our team members so they can focus on what they love, both inside and outside of work,” Carl Armato, CEO of Novant Health, said in the release.

Novant Health will have two living wages to compensate for local costs of living: one for North Carolina and one for Northern Virginia.

The living wage for team members working in North Carolina will be $11 per hour; the living wage for team members in Northern Virginia will be $14 per hour.

“Implementing a living wage across our organization represents about a $1.2 million investment in our team members,” said Janet Smith-Hill, executive vice president and chief human resources officer. “We are committed to attracting and retaining highly qualified team members, and offering a living wage is another way to live up to that commitment.”

The change benefits about 2,000 employees in North Carolina and 350 in Virginia, according to Novant Health.