Aetna raises its minimum wage…. Who’s next?

Aetna is raising its minimum base pay to $16 an hour and improving its health benefits starting in April. It’s a massive raise for some workers who generally hold customer service and billing positions. 

Is this a sign that wages may rise for low-income workers across the economy? Not necessarily.

Aetna, as a healthcare company, sees a future in which it deals more directly with the consumer. And yet, the turnover rate industrywide for customer service employees is around 30 percent. The company is investing to improve morale, reduce  turnover and attract quality employees.