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From left: Joannettia Price, Robin Casiano and Erika Avila prepare lemonade for their co-workers at East Jefferson General Hospital. Employees take the cart throughout the hospital to give out free
lemonade from Raising Cane’s.
Photo by Frank Aymami
FIVE-TIME H O N O R E E
East Jefferson
General Hospital
There’s always room for growth and a long
career at East Jefferson General Hospital,
and no one knows better than Joey Grob, director
of benefits.
Having been with the hospital for 23 years,
she was originally hired as the assistant to the
chief financial officer and has since worked
through eight different titles.
“I’m just very proud to be a part of East
Jefferson,” Grob said. “The atmosphere here is
just one of unity. Everyone takes pride in their
work and has a common goal of quality patient
care.”
In an industry where turnover is high,
employees say longevity at East Jefferson is
achieved by competitive compensation, a family-style
work environment and a reputation for
exceeding patient expectations.
One of the largest employers in the New
Orleans area, East Jefferson offers a traditional
array of benefits, including a fully paid life
insurance plan. But the hospital also offers
harder to find perks such as tuition reimbursement
of up to $1,085 per semester, an onsite
gym and a child-care subsidy to help employees
pay for day care while they are working.
East Jefferson has also established the Voice
Committee structure as a way to implement
shared governance of the health care facility.
Comprised of representatives from throughout
the hospital, six different committees meet
once a month and give employees a voice in
hospital decisions and policies.
Health finder representative Tina Taylor,
who has been with the hospital for about six
months, said she was originally attracted to
East Jefferson for its reputation. Previously
working in a corporate setting, Taylor said she
wanted to find a warmer work environment
that valued longevity.
“I feel like I can really plant roots here and be
a positive factor in patient care,” Taylor said.
“I’ve met many people that have been here 20,
25 and even over 30 years.”
Nature of business: health care
Where based: Metairie
Employees: 2,418
Average starting salary: $38,918
Median salary: $46,093
Average employment time: seven years
Benefits: health care with 73 percent coverage, dental, vision
and prescription plans, 403(b) with 2 percent match, continuing
education program, day care options, relocation assistance, flexible
hours, job sharing, employee recognition program, fitness
program, subsidized meals
Wait time for benefits: one month
Paid days off: 29
Web site: www.ejgh.org
With more than 2,400 employees, positions
at East Jefferson run the gamut from cooks
and clerks to nurses and surgeons. Usually
working independently with their own practices,
physicians often have a special set of
needs. When Dr. Clayton Mazoue finished his
residency in family medicine at the hospital
last year, he was offered a contract to start his
own clinic at the hospital. He said it was a
challenging process to build a clinic from the
ground up, but East Jefferson worked with
him through every step.
“They’ve been very accommodating, and
they are willing to listen and talk,” Mazoue
said. “I really enjoy employers who are
approachable and who try to meet the needs
of their employees.”•
— Craig Guillot
14 2009 Best Places to Work