Growing up in Portland, Maine, where Unum is one of the biggest employers, Isabella Hilton knew she wanted to work for Unum after she moved to Chattanooga, where the insurance company is headquartered.
So last fall, the 18-year-old began her career as a medical records specialist at Unum, earning $11.72 an hour. On Thursday, she learned that she and more than 250 other workers in Chattanooga have even more reason to want to be with Unum. The company announced it is raising its base pay next month to $15 an hour, and also extending parental leave benefits and adding another $1 million to its annual community and charitable donations.
“I was very excited to hear the news and great to know that my employer is investing in me as much as I want to invest in the business,” Hilton said. “This will definitely help me get enough money to go back to school – and also give some extra money to spoil my dogs at home.”
After earning record profits in 2017 of nearly $1 billion – and predicting it should earn even more this year – Unum said it is sharing some of its wealth with its staff and communities where it operates. The company is offering another six weeks of paid parental leave for mothers and fathers employed at Unum and will increase the $12.4 million given to charitable organizations in 2016 by at least another $1 million.
Unum Group, which is headquartered in downtown Chattanooga, is boosting its minimum pay to $15 an hour, extending parental leave benefits and adding to its charitable contributions after reporting record profits in 2017.“These investments reflect our values and recognize the significant role that everyone at Unum plays in delivering for our customers,” Unum President Rick McKenney said in a message to the nearly 10,000 employees of Unum across the country. “2017 was a great year, and one that would not be possible without the dedication of all of our people. We strive to be the employer of choice in each of our communities.”