Walmart raises starting wages, handing out bonuses

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Walmart, the country’s largest private employer, is boosting its starting salary for U.S. 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 Thursday that changes to its compensation and benefits policy will impact more than a million hourly workers in the U.S. The wage increase, up from $9 per hour for new workers, comes into play next month.
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