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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Walmart's Investment in U.S. Workforce Includes $23 million for raises to Maryland associates

Walmart’s two-year, $2.7 billion investment in its U.S. workforce includes $23 million for additional raises to associates in Maryland Investment provides 17,200 additional raises to Walmart workers in the state

BALTIMORE –
Walmart is making a $2.7 billion investment over two years in its U.S. workforce to raise wages, provide better training and increase scheduling choice and flexibility. As part of this commitment, the company is investing $23 million, resulting in 17,200 additional raises for associates in Maryland. By February, the new full-time average hourly wage in Maryland will be $12.92 an hour and $10.61 an hour for part-time associates.

Over the past year, Walmart has increased wages in three phases beginning in April by moving its starting rate to at least $9 an hour. In July, the company increased wages for more than 100,000 associates in specialized positions, like wireless or deli associate, and department managers. In February 2016, Walmart will raise wages for associates hired before Jan. 1, 2016 to at least $10 an hour, $2.75 an hour above the federal minimum wage; hourly managers of the company’s more complex and service-oriented departments will earn at least $15 an hour. Associates hired beginning Jan. 1, 2016 will start at $9 and move to at least $10 after successfully completing the company’s new Pathways training program.

The company is starting to see a return on its investments. Since the first phase of pay raises went into effect, Walmart’s customer experience scores and associate engagement numbers have increased. The company also announced during its third quarter earnings that U.S. comp-store sales were positive for the fifth straight quarter and customer traffic was positive for the fourth straight quarter.

Wages are just one part of Walmart’s commitment to providing associates the tools they need to grow with the company and provide great customer service. The company is also opening doors for existing and new associates by increasing scheduling flexibility and providing new training opportunities for continued advancement beyond entry-level jobs. Also, the addition of more than 8,000 new department managers and rolling out a new shelf-stocking program will make it easier for associates to get products on the shelves when customers are shopping.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time to get your retail jobs rather than cleaning hotel rooms and serving fast casual food to fast pitch traveling softball teams.

Anonymous said...

I guess this was the big story....well it looks great in print....but think about all the little local businesses run off by Walmart / Sam's. I would rather see the small local businesses succeed than these huge corporations that make it so they can't compete...then once they close the small stores, up goes the prices! EXAMPLE: GAS PRICE, station in Snow Hill, 6 out of 7 days has cheaper gas than Sam's Club. You know by just sheer volume Sam's should be a heck of a lot cheaper...but seldom is! Oh well good reading....

Anonymous said...

As a small contractor I too have to donate a portion of my profit to a state fund for training people in various skills that are union based.Thanks politicians for continuing to put small business out of business.

Anonymous said...

As if 10 bucks an hour is going to get the employees anywhere near out of poverty. The sad part is that it's the tax payers who are paying. So many of Walmart's employees get some kind of or multiple types of welfare benefits. Same goes for the chicken companies employees. It's amazing that some think these businesses are some great success story. When you pay your employees so little that they are getting 100's of millions in welfare benefits that business you created isn't really a success story.
Just for the record I am as far right as anyone can get but I also call it like it is. That's a rare quality anymore and is why I am supporting Donald Trump.

Anonymous said...

lets do the math, 24 hours in a day, u should sleep 8, so that leaves 16 hours u can work. I did it for a pretty good while and now im retired at 50. a little hard work wont hurt you, IF YOU R WILLING

Anonymous said...

Walmart won't let anyone get any more than about 30 hours from what I understand. We need manufacturing back in this country so badly.

Anonymous said...

Most of the people hired in at $10.00 per hour are already on welfare and have little to no job skills.

Anonymous said...

That pretty much sums up the eastern shore workforce.