These companies announced wage hikes, bonuses, benefits in afterglow of Trump tax reform
Nearly every day another company publicly announces bonuses, wage increases or other kinds of benefits they’re offering employees since President Donald Trump signed tax reform into law on Dec. 22.
Big box behemoths like Walmart (WMT), tech giants like Apple (AAPL) and Yahoo Finance’s own parent company Verizon (VZ) are among the latest to claim that they’re reinvesting capital into their workforce because of the lower corporate-tax rate. The timing of these particular announcements indicates how corporations are trying to curry favor with Trump.
Companies have also been burying bad news amid the rollout of positive, splashy reports. The same day that Walmart announced a minimum wage hike, bonuses and expanded parental leave benefits, the company abruptly closed 63 Sam’s Club stores and laid off thousands of workers. 10 of the closed megastores will become e-commerce distribution centers. Similarly, AT&T (T) laid off 600 employees the same week it announced bonuses for 200,000 workers.
Companies lauding the tax plan
This corporate speak continues to trickle out of fourth-quarter earnings calls, but it remains uncertain just how material the impact of corporate tax reform will be for average employees.
Here’s a comprehensive list of companies and what they’re offering employees, post-tax cut, courtesy of Strategas Partners, Americans for Tax Reform and original reporting. Industries range from airlines to wineries, promising everything from $1,000 bonuses to planting more vines.
1st Summit Bank: $1k bonuses to full-time employees; salary raises; increased charitable donations
AAON: $1k bonuses for 2,000 employees
AccuWeather: Year-end bonuses for 450-500 employees
Advance Financial: increase in 401(k) match
Aflac (AFL): Increase 401(k) match from 50% to 100% on the first 4% of compensation plus a one-time $500 contribution to every employee’s 401(k)
Alaska Airlines (ALK): $1k bonuses for 22,000 employees
Amarillo National Bank: $1k bonuses for 313 employees
American Airlines (AAL): $1k bonuses for ~127,600 employees
American Bank: $1k bonuses for 60 employees
American Community Bank & Trust: $500 bonuses to all employees, hiring more employees
American Express (AXP): Incremental investment in employee profit-sharing plans
American Savings Bank: $1k bonuses for 1,150 employees, minimum wage increase to $15.25
AndyMark: Hiring more employees
Anfinson Farm Store: $1k bonuses, 5% pay raises for employees
Apple (AAPL): $2,500 bonuses in restricted stock units, hiring 20,000 new employees
Aquesta Financial Holdings: $1k bonuses for 95 employees, minimum wage increase to $15
Associated Bank: $500 bonuses for all hourly employees, minimum wage increase to $15
AutoNation: doubling 401(k) match, launch of cancer benefit program
Ball Ventures: $100 bonuses for every year of employment
BancorpSouth Bank: pay raises for ~70% of employees, bonuses for ~20% of employees
Bank of Advance: $1k bonuses to all employees
Bank of America (BAC): $1k bonuses for 145,000 U.S. employees
Bank of Colorado: $1k bonuses to all full-time employees
Bank of Hawaii: $1k bonuses for 2,074 employees, minimum wage increase to $15
Bank of the James: Increase base wage to $15 for employees serving more than 1 year; increased employee vacation days
Bank of the Ozarks: Incentive bonus plan for 2,300 employees of up to $1,200
BB&T (BBT): $1,200 bonuses for 27,000 employees, minimum wage increase to $15
Berkshire Hills Bancorp (BHLB): $1k bonuses to 1,000 employees, base wage increase to $15
Best Buy (BBY): $1k bonuses for full-time employees, $500 bonuses for part-time workers
Boeing (BA): $300 million for “workplace of the future” facilities, infrastructure, workforce development, charitable giving
Cabot Oil & Gas: $1,600 bonuses for employees
Camden National Bank: $1k bonuses to all non-executive full-time employees, $750 bonuses to part-time employees
Canary LLC: Hire more employees
Capital One (COF): Raising minimum wage to $15
Cedar Rapids Toyota: $500 bonuses to full-time employees
CenterState Bank: $1k bonuses to non-officer employees
Central Bancompany: $1k bonuses to full-time employees, $500 bonuses for part-time employees
Central Pacific Bank: $1k bonuses to 850 employees, minimum wage increase to $15.25
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Company: $1k bonuses to all 1,400 employees
Charter Communications (CHTR): Raising base wage to $15
Citizens Financial (CFG): $1k bonuses for 12,500 employees
Clayton Distillery: Upgrade facilities
College of the Ozarks: $204 bonuses for employees
Comerica (CMA): $1k bonuses for 4,500 employees. base wage increase to $15
Commerce Bancshares: $1k bonuses for 3,450 full-time employees; $250 bonuses for eligible part-time employees
Community Trust Bancorp: $1k bonuses for full-time employees; $500 bonuses for part-time employees
Copperleaf Assisted Living: $200-$600 bonuses for 175 employees
Data Sales Co.: $1k bonuses for all 80 employees
Dayton T. Brown: $400 bonuses for all 210 employees
Delaware Supermarkets: $150 extra bonuses for 1,000 non-management personnel
DePatco: Employee bonuses
Dime Community Bank (DCOM): $1k bonuses for non-executive employees
Discover Financial Services (DFS): Raising base wage to $15.25 for “virtually all” ~7,000 full-time employees
Disney (DIS): $1k bonuses for 125,000 employees, $50M investment in employee education
DTN: $1k bonuses to ~700 employees
Eagle Ridge Ranch: Employee bonuses
EastIdahoNews.com: Employee bonuses
Elite Roofing Systems: Employee bonuses
Elite Clinical Trials: Employee bonuses
Emkay: $1k bonuses for all 150 full-time employees
Employers Mutual Casualty Insurance: $1k bonuses for employees for those below the VP position
Ennis: $500 bonuses for 2,200 non-management employees
ES Bancshares: $500 bonuses to non-executive full-time employees, $250 bonuses to part-time employees, creating 10 new jobs
Express Employment Professionals: $2k bonuses for ~200 non-executive employees
FedEx (FDX): $3.2 billion in wage increases, bonuses, pension funding
Fiat Chrysler (FCAU): $2k bonuses for 60,000 employees, creating 2,500 new jobs
Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB): $1k bonuses for 13,500 employees, base wage rises to $15
FireBird Bronze: Offering health insurance to its nine employees for first time, upgrading equipment, hiring
First Bank and Trust Company: Base wage raised to $15
FirstCapital Bank of Texas: $500 bonuses for 197 employees
First Farmers Bank and Trust: $750 bonuses for full-time employees
First Financial Bancorp: Base wage raised to $15
First Financial Northwest: $1k bonuses to all 138 non-executive employees
First Hawaiian Bank: $1,500 bonuses for 2,264 employees, base wage increases to $15
First Horizon National Corp.: $1k bonuses for 4,000 employees
First Merchants Corporation: $1 wage increase for hourly employees, $500 bonuses for full-time employees excluding senior management
First Midwest Bancorp: Base wage increase to $15, $1,035 bonuses for 85% of employees
First National Bank: $1k bonuses for its 44 employees
Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber engineering: $1,500 bonuses to all 400 employees
Flemington Car & Truck: $500 employee bonuses
Flushing Financial Corporation (FFIC): $1k bonuses for full-time employees, $500 bonuses for part-time employees
FNB Corporation (FNB): Extra 401(k) contributions totaling $1M, base wage raised to $15
Fort Ranch: Employee bonuses
Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT): Base wage raised to $12, bonuses in form of additional week of pay for 2,775 employees
Gardner Company: Employee bonuses
Gate City Bank: $1k bonuses for 538 non-management personnel
Great Southern Bancorp (GSBC): 1,200 employees receive bonus (full-time get $1k, part-time get $500)
Great Western Bancorp (GWB): Base wage raised to $15, $500/wage increase for 70% of workforce
Group 1 Automotive (GPI): $500 cash bonuses for non-management dealership employees
Gulf Coast Bank & Trust: Increase base wage to $12
HarborOne Bank: $500 bonuses for 600 employees, base wage raised to $15
Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG): $1k bonuses for 9,500 employees
Hawaii National Bank: $1k bonuses
Heartland Bank: $1k bonuses for full-time non-executive employees, $500 bonuses to part-time employees
Home Bancshares (HOMB): $500 bonuses for 850 employees
Home Depot (HD): Up to $1k bonuses for all hourly employees
HomeStreet (HMST): Base wage increased to $15
IAT Insurance Group: $3k bonuses for 685 non-executive employees
INB Bank: $500 bonuses to 200 employees (excludes senior management), base wage raised to $15
Jordan Winery: $1k bonuses for each of its 85 employees
JPMorgan Chase (JPM): 22,000 employees will get base wage raised from $12-$16.50 up to $15-$18, opening up 400 new branches, hiring 4,000 new employees
Kalb Industries of Nevada: Pay raises for employees who have been with the company for 3+ months
Kansas City Southern: $1k bonuses to eligible employees
Kauai Cattle: Employee bonuses
KeyCorp (KEY): Raise base wage, increase retirement plan contributions (impacts >80% of workforce)
Kish Bancorp: $1k bonuses for full-time employees, $500 bonuses for part-time employees
Lawrence Paper Company: $500 bonuses for all 300 employees
M&T Bank Corporation (MTB): Base wage raised to $14/$16 (based on location), employees receive 40 hours of paid time annually for volunteer activities
MainSource Financial Group (MSFG): Base wage raised to $15
MB Financial: Base wage raised to $15
Melaleuca: $100 bonuses for each year worked for 2,000 employees
Meridian Bancorp (EBSB): Base wage raised to $15, additional 20% added to exiting bonuses, six new branch locations
Mid-AM Metal Forming: Bonuses for all 140 employees
MusicNotes: 3% salary increase for all 55 employees
National Bank Holdings Corporation: $1k bonuses for employees earning <$50k
Nationwide: $1k bonuses for 29,000 employees, increased 401(k) matching contributions
Navient (NAVI): $1k bonuses for ~6,566 employees (98% of total)
Nelnet: $1k bonuses for 4,100 employees
Nephron Pharmaceuticals: 5% raise for its 640 employees
NexTier Bank: $1k bonuses for all employees, tuition reimbursement on job training
Nexus Services: 5% raise for all employees, hiring 200 more workers in 2018
Northpoint Apartments: Employee bonuses
OceanFirst Financial (OCFC): Increase base wage to $15
Ohnward Bancshares: $1k bonuses for all 260 employees
Old Dominion Freight Line: $500 bonuses for all 22,000 employees
Peoples Bank (Washington): Base wage raised to $15, 401(k) match increased one point to 8%
Peoples Bank (Arkansas): $500 bonuses
Pinnacle Bank: $1k bonuses for 1,007 employees
Pioneer Credit Recovery: $1k bonuses for 800 employees
PNC Financial Services Group (PNC): $1k bonuses for 47,500 employees base wage hike to $15
Regions Financial Corporation (RF): Increase base wage to $15
RGF Environmental Group: $1k bonuses
Royal Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry: Open more stores, hire more employees
Rush Enterprises: $1k bonuses for all 6,600 employees
Russell Lands: $500 bonuses for ~400 full-time non-management staff
Sheffer Corporation: $1k bonuses for all 126 employees
Sinclair Broadcast Group: $1k bonuses for 9,000 employees
South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa: Doubling bonuses for 2,300 employees ($500-$2300 range)
Southwest Airlines (LUV): $1k bonuses for 55,000 employees
Spellex Corporation: $1k bonuses for all 26 full-time employees
Starbucks (SBUX): Wage increases, stock grants to eligible employees, expanded family sick time and parental leave benefits, creating 8,500 new jobs
State Street Corporation (STT): Improve employee retirement benefits, training
Stifel Financial (SF): $1,500 bonuses for 7,000 employees
Summit State Bank: $2k bonuses for 78 non-executive employees
SunTrust Banks (STI): $1k incentive for employees that complete company’s financial fitness program, base wage raise to $15
Synovus Financial Corporation: $1k bonuses to all non-executive employees
TCF Financial: $1k bonuses for full-time employees; $500 bonuses for part-time employees
The Flood Insurance Agency: $1k bonuses for 17 full-time employees
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO): $500 bonuses
The Travelers Companies (TRV): $1k bonuses for 14,000 employees, base wage raised to $15
Territorial Savings Bank: $1k bonuses for 247 employees, base wage hike to $15
Texas Capital Bank: $1k bonuses for 900 employees
Tiffany & Co. (TIF): Increased spending in tech, marketing communications, visual merchandising, digital & store presentations
Total System Services (TSS): $1k bonuses for 11,500 employees
Turning Point Brands: $1k bonuses for 107 employees
United Bank & Trust: Salaries & hourly employees receive raise of $100/month
Unity Bank: $750 bonuses for all employees except executive management
US Bancorp (USB): $1k bonuses for 60,000 employees
Verizon: non-executive employees receive 50 shares of restricted stock
Visa (V): increased contributions to employee 401(k) accounts
Walmart (WMT): Increase starting wage to $11; expand maternity and paternal leave benefits; one-time cash bonus for eligible associates of up to $1k
Washington Federal: Provide 5% increase in addition to normal merit increase for employees earning <$100k; invest in employee training programs
Washington Trust Bancorp: $1k bonuses for full-time employees, $500 for part-time employees
Waste Management (WM): $2k bonuses to 34,000 eligible employees
Webster Financial Corporation: Base wage raised to $15, $1k bonuses to full-time employees below VP level
Wells Fargo (WFC): Increase base wage from $13.50 to $15
Western & Southern Financial Group: $2k bonuses for full-time employees, $1k bonuses for part-time employees
Western Alliance Bancorporation: Increase wages 7.5% for the lowest-paid 50% of employees
White Pine Winery: Planting more vines
Windsor Federal: $250 bonuses for employees except senior management
YAM Worldwide: $2k bonuses for 595 employees who have been with the company for 6+ months, $1k bonuses for 131 employees who have been with company for <6 months
Yancey Bros.: $500 bonuses for all 1,200 employees
Zions Bancorp (ZION): $1k bonuses for 80% of employees
Melody Hahm is a senior writer at Yahoo Finance, covering entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm.
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