Walmart outlines wage increase details for Washington, Idaho employees

Nearly two weeks after announcing a higher starting hourly wages and one-time bonuses for its employees, Walmart has provided more specifics on how its employees in Washington and Idaho will be affected.

Walmart had cited the sweeping Republican tax overhaul that will save it money in announcing a new hourly starting wage of $11 and changes in parental benefits on Jan. 11.

In a statement this week, Walmart said hourly employees in Washington will receive bonuses; the company’s new starting hourly wage is below the state’s current minimum of $11.50. Employees in Idaho, where the state minimum wage is $7.25, will receive pay increases.

Nationwide, the company will provide one-time bonuses to all full- and part-time workers. The bonuses will range from $200 to $1,000 and are based on length of service, with those employed at least 20 years receiving the most.

Walmart says combined wage and benefits changes will affect more than a million hourly workers in the U.S. Of those, roughly 19,600 are in Washington and about 4,600 are in Idaho.

In a Tuesday announcement, the company said an expanded parental and maternity leave policy will provide full-time hourly workers in the U.S. with 10 weeks of paid maternity leave and six weeks of paid parental leave. Salaried employees also will receive six weeks of paid parental leave.

Additionally, a new benefit for full-time hourly and salaried employees will provide up to $5,000 per child for adoption-related costs.

Walmart previously had a standard starting wage of $9 an hour, followed by a raise to $10 after completing a training program.