Dear UT Health San Antonio staff:
Every day, our employees work tirelessly to advance our missions of education, research, clinical care and community service. This past year has been one of unprecedented and unparalleled challenges and we are deeply grateful to each of you for your efforts. We, therefore, want to recognize the exceptional dedication to our missions reflected in the hard work, extra hours and many sacrifices contributed by our staff employees throughout this extraordinary time.
On May 20, all full-time staff members hired before Feb. 1, 2021, who are not currently participating in an incentive program*, will receive a one-time lump sum payment equivalent to 2% of their current base salary, with a minimum payout of $1,000. Part-time staff employees will receive a prorated recognition award.
During the past year, your indefatigable spirit and remarkable commitment of time and talents helped us to:
- Provide hundreds of front-line health care workers to screen and care for COVID-19 patients.
- Be a leading voice in the community of health care providers as the coronavirus crisis unfolded.
- Work on technology to test for COVID-19 and, in more than 40 research labs, to develop future treatments.
- Support the fast-track of a National Institutes of Health clinical trial in search of a COVID-19 treatment, remdesivir.
- Implement virtual visits for our patients to provide easy and safe access for care.
- Administer more than 100,000 doses of the vaccine at the Hurd Auditorium, Medical Arts and Research Center and other locations across the community.
- Maintain communications with our university community, including a COVID-19 Resources Guide and websites to keep our employees informed and safe.
- Offer — to local, state and national news media — 675+ interviews and public service announcements on COVID-related topics.
We have made it a priority to keep our workforce intact during the past 14 months as we have added flexibility in staff assignments and benefits through our UT Employee Assistance Program and other avenues supported by our Human Resources team.
I appreciate everyone’s service and commitment. I could not be prouder of the university for our unified response to the pandemic.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President and Professor of Medicine
* Faculty and staff who are eligible to participate in an incentive program will be handled differently.