Walmart said Tuesday it would spend about $ 428 million in hourly employee cash bonuses as a reward for continuing to work during the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer famous for its “successful” early Friday Black Friday sales has also turned Thanksgiving into a company holiday starting this year.
The bonus will go up to $ 300 for full-time hourly workers and $ 150 for part-time and temporary workers, with drivers, managers and assistant managers also online for additional pay next month, the retailer said. Including the latest award, in 2020 the retailer has paid a total of $ 1.1 billion in financial incentives for additional workers, Walmart said.
Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S., hired more than 200,000 workers this year to keep up with growing consumer demand as Americans bought more groceries and other supplies while staying home in between. of the coronavirus. The company employs 1.5 million people in the US and 2.2 million globally, according to its website.
Along with the new worker bonuses, Walmart said it will give it to workers on Thanksgiving Day. In a press release, the company said all of its stores would be closed on November 28 to show appreciation for its employees. The move ends a long-standing policy in which the retailer gets a jump in Christmas sales by kicking off its Black Friday bargains on Thursday’s holiday.
“We know this has been a difficult year and our associates have taken a step forward. We hope you enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day at home with your loved ones,” said John Furner, President and CEO of Walmart US in a statement. . “We are certainly grateful to our people for all of their efforts.”
Walmart is among the top retailers They have recently stipulated that shoppers must wear face masks in their stores to help curb COVID-19, which has killed 143,000 Americans.
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