Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey's largest employers, has made the awful decision to stop a decades-long program supporting Team Members, including clinicians, with an on-site accredited daycare and preschool.

Effective September 30, 2022, HMH is closing all of its Childcare facilities.  HMH is citing a "changing childcare landscape" and "a great deal of financial and staffing pressures" as well as "a heavy capital commitment" as the reason for this change.

In short, they are choosing money over family - as well as patient care.  A huge step down for an organization that used to feel like a family itself.  When healthcare workers are supported, they are more able to care for patients.

The letter also cites that this is not a reflection of the dedication and excellence of the childcare teams.  Agreed.  They're excellent.

THIS IS A REFLECTION OF THE LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR TEAM MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  IT IS A REFLECTION OF CORPORATE GREED.  IT IS A REFLECTION OF HOW HEALTHCARE WORKERS CONTINUE TO BE MISTREATED EVEN IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THEY'VE GONE THROUGH IN RECENT TIMES.

"Thank you for supporting our organization, our patients, and our wallets, even at the sacrifice of your own physical and mental health.  As a reward for your sacrifice, and the sacrifices your families have made to enable you to keep working for us at 110%, we're going to strip you of yet another corporate benefit."

This is wholly unacceptable.  Corporations need to be held accountable for their social responsibilities.  Hackensack Meridian Health is famous in the landscape for their lower-than-average salaries.  This has always been buffered by excellent health and other benefits.  Slowly, those additional benefits have been melting away.  And now this?  What more can be taken from a community of individuals that have dedicated themselves in service of Hackensack Meridian Health and the communities they serve.

Please support this petition to make it clear to HMH's leadership that these programs must not end.

The program isn't free for team members.  It's not even much cheaper than most traditional external programs.  However, it supports team members by placing their children in a safe, fun, educational environment with flexible schedules that accommodate the different types of clinical and business schedules that team members work.

For example... if a clinician starts at 7:00am (and works to 7:00pm) they can drop their child(ren) off at 6:50 and still make it to their shift on time.  Likewise, they can end their shift at 7:00pm and be with their children by 7:10pm.

Let's also not forget that there are  team members who are being displaced as a result of this decision.  Team members who have dedicated their lives to supporting the growth and education of children.

For a corporation that operates in the billions, this lack of social awareness is disgusting and disheartening.

Please, let your voice be heard.  Don't allow corporate greed to strip our healthcare workers of this critical benefit.