Walmart, Citing Tax Cuts, Will Raise Starting Wages and Expand Benefits<br />Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, said on Thursday<br />that it would raise its starting wages, give bonuses to some employees and vastly expand maternity- and parental-leave benefits for its army of more than one million hourly workers.<br />Walmart said it would increase its starting hourly wage to $11 from $9,<br />and provide one-time cash bonuses of up $1,000 to hourly workers, depending on how long they had been with the company.<br />Enhancing the pay and benefits of its employees is a significant move for a company<br />that has long been criticized for its low wages, unpredictable scheduling of workers and high health care costs.<br />The retailer said it would use some of the money it expects to save under the recently passed tax bill to pay for the raises and enhanced benefits.
