As businesses adjust to the growing impact of COVID-19, hiring is ramping up at grocery retailers.
Walmart last week announced plans to hire more than 4,200 associates to work in stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers in Wisconsin. That’s part of the company’s larger efforts to hire 150,000 new employees company-wide through the end of May.
Grocery stores in America have seen a surge in business during the coronavirus pandemic as shoppers have flocked to stores to stock up on food and other necessities, including toilet paper. More people are staying home for meals as social distancing requirements have banned gatherings of 10 or more in Wisconsin and restaurants in the state are only permitted to offer take-out or delivery service
Walmart has more than 11,500 brick-and-mortar locations worldwide, including 5,000 in the U.S. It currently employs 2.2 million total associates, with 1.5 million based in the U.S. In Wisconsin, Walmart has 99 stores and 29,143 employees.
In light of the “unprecedented national health crisis,” the company is giving a cash bonus to U.S. hourly workers employed as of March 1 at stores, clubs, supply chain and offices. Full-time hourly associates will receive $300 for and part-time hourly associates will receive $150.
All told, Walmart will dish out about $365 million when the payments are issued on April 2. In addition, the company said employees will receive their next scheduled quarterly bonuses one month early.
Other retailers looking for employees include Milwaukee-based Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc., which plans to hire up to 2,500 people to work at its Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market stores in Wisconsin; and parent company Kroger, which is hiring 10,000 new associates nationwide across retail stores, manufacturing plants and distribution centers, according to MarketWatch.
Amazon.com Inc. plans to hire 100,000 more U.S. employees to meet the increase of e-commerce orders and deliveries, according to MarketWatch.
