LEBANON, N.H. -- Some Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center employees are upset over their raises.

Representatives for the hospital, the Upper Valley's largest employer, said raises will be more strictly based on merit this year than they have in past years.

Employees said they are getting little or nothing at all when it comes to raises.

Hospital officials said raises have always been based on merit, but this year it will be more noticeable because there's less to go around, and that will make things tough on some employees.

Employees have already started receiving those raises.