Walmart raises U.S. starting wages, handing out bonuses

BENTONVILLE, Ark. 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. The company is also creating a new benefit to assist employees with adoption expenses. Large employers have been under pressure to boost benefits for workers because unemployment rates are at historic lows, allowing job seekers to be pickier.