Wal-Mart to hire 10,000 this year

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to add about 10,000 retail jobs in the U.S. this year as it opens new stores and expands existing locations, including in California. The world’s biggest retailer said Tuesday that its plans will also generate about 24,000 construction jobs.

The jobs will come from the opening of 59 new, expanded or relocated WalMart stores and Sam’s Club outlets as well as from ecommerce services that were previously announced, the company said.

Wal-Mart will open several stores in California this year, including one in Compton, spokesman Scott Markley said. It also plans to remodel more than 30 of its 300 stores in the state.

Nationally, Wal-Mart will open fewer stores this year than last, but it is still adding jobs as it offers more positions in online grocery pickup, trainers for its new academies for hourly workers and construction jobs for remodels.

The rate is consistent with previous hiring in recent years, company spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said. Media reports have also said, however, that WalMart plans to cut hundreds or even about 1,000 jobs at its corporate headquarters by the end of the month.

Wal-Mart typically announces job plans early in the year, analysts say. Tuesday’s announcement marks the latest in a series of announcements from companies that may want to get into the good graces of President-elect Donald Trump, who has called out companies for not keeping jobs in the U.S., analysts say.