Henry Ford Health System will raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour for more than 3,000 employees, beginning Sunday, CEO Wright Lassiter III announced Friday.

Despite losing millions of dollars this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lassiter said the pay raise helps to fulfill Henry Ford’s mission of improving lives and healing. The raise, which was considered back in 2019 but delayed when the pandemic hit in March, will tack on another $6 million in additional costs.

“We have a critical role to play in removing barriers to opportunity and achieving equity for all — and our team members are a crucial part of the communities we all serve,” Lassiter said in a statement.

“There is a strong association between financial health and security and overall health, a reality that has been driven home over the last eight months for our team members who are on the front