Close X
Sunday, December 22, 2024
ADVT 
International

Walmart Raises Starting Wages, Offers Bonuses Up To $1,000 To Eligible Employees

IANS, 12 Jan, 2018 12:57 PM
    Walmart, the world's largest private employer, is boosting its starting salary for US workers to $ 11 an hour, giving a one-time cash bonus of up to $1,000 to eligible employees and expanding its maternity and parental leave benefits. 
     
     
    The retailer said today that changes to its compensation and benefits policy will impact more than a million hourly workers in the US. The company employs 1.5 million people in the US.
     
     
    The wage increase, up from $ 9 per hour for new workers, comes into play next month. The company is also creating a new benefit to assist employees with adoption expenses. CEO Doug McMillon said in prepared statement that recently enacted tax legislation "gives us the opportunity to be more competitive globally and to accelerate plans for the US.
     
     
    Large employers have been under pressure to boost benefits for workers because unemployment rates are at historic lows, allowing job seekers to be pickier. The nation's unemployment rate has sat at 4.1 per cent for three months now, the lowest level since 2000. The average for hourly earnings rose 2.5 per cent in December from a year earlier. Still, that's about a full percentage point lower than is typical in a healthy economy.
     
     
    The pay hike at Walmart follows similar actions at rival Target Corp. Target raised its minimum hourly wage to $11 in October, and will raise wages to $ 15 by the end of 2020. The wage increase announced Thursday by Walmart benefits all hourly US workers within its stores, Sam's Clubs, eCommerce, logistics and home office.
     
     
     
    Walmart said that the one-time bonus will be given to all eligible full and part-time hourly US employees. The amount of the bonus will be based on length of service. Workers with at least 20 years qualify for a $ 1,000 bonus. Walmart today promised full-time hourly US employees 10 weeks of paid maternity leave and six weeks of paid parental leave. Salaried employees will also receive six weeks of paid parental leave.
     
     
    The Bentonville, Arkansas, company also promised help with adoptions, offering full-time hourly and salaried workers $5,000 per child that can be used for expenses such as adoption agency fees, translation fees and legal or court costs.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian Origin Man Prabhat Nelli Among 18 People Convicted Of Child Sex Offences In England

    Indian Origin Man Prabhat Nelli Among 18 People Convicted Of Child Sex Offences In England
    Prabhat Nelli is among mostly Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Iraqi, Iranian and Turkish-origin men found guilty of involvement in a sex grooming network in the town of the Newcastle in north-east England.

    Indian Origin Man Prabhat Nelli Among 18 People Convicted Of Child Sex Offences In England

    Jailed Indian Fraudster Nawaz Jan-Virmani Ordered To Pay Stolen Taxes In UK

    Jailed Indian Fraudster Nawaz Jan-Virmani Ordered To Pay Stolen Taxes In UK
    An Indian-origin petrol station owner who was jailed last year for selling illegal diesel has been ordered to pay stolen taxes amounting to nearly 133,660 pounds to the UK’s tax department.

    Jailed Indian Fraudster Nawaz Jan-Virmani Ordered To Pay Stolen Taxes In UK

    Qatar Allows Visa-Free Entry For 80 Countries, Including India

    Qatar Allows Visa-Free Entry For 80 Countries, Including India
    Nationals from dozens of countries in Europe and elsewhere, including India, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States only need present a valid passport to enter the gas-rich country which hosts the soccer World Cup in 2022.

    Qatar Allows Visa-Free Entry For 80 Countries, Including India

    Feel Strongly For Welfare Of Indian Workers Abroad: Sushma Swaraj

    External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, known for coming to the rescue of Indians in distress abroad, on Wednesday said that she feels strongly for the welfare of Indian workers abroad.

    Feel Strongly For Welfare Of Indian Workers Abroad: Sushma Swaraj

    Sikhs One Of The Top Targets Of Hate Crimes In US: Community Leaders

    Sikhs One Of The Top Targets Of Hate Crimes In US: Community Leaders
    "Hate has no colour. Hate has no face. Yet we all saw hate five years ago," Blahair Dulai, president of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, said.

    Sikhs One Of The Top Targets Of Hate Crimes In US: Community Leaders

    Indian Philanthropist Firoz Merchant Honoured By UAE Govt

    Indian Philanthropist Firoz Merchant Honoured By UAE Govt
    An Indian businessman in the UAE, who has spent over USD 4 million to help free prisoners languishing in jails due to non-payment of debts, has been honoured with the country’s prestigious Community Service Medal.

    Indian Philanthropist Firoz Merchant Honoured By UAE Govt