Lowe's Cos., Inc. is paying its hourly workers an additional $100 million in bonuses as the home improvement retail group prepares for the busy holiday months.
The bonus brings the cost of additional staff payments during the world health crisis to $775 million. Hourly personnel at the company's U.S. stores, distribution facilities and support centers will be given the bonus starting Oct. 16, Lowe's said. Full-time workers will receive $300 each while seasonal and part-time staff will get $150.
Lowe's president and chief executive Marvin Ellison said through spring, summer and fall the company's front-line personnel had shown "remarkable resilience and dedication to our communities in the most difficult times we've faced together."
Several U.S. retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, have spent millions in bonuses to pay workers for dealing with online demand during the pandemic.
The discretionary bonus matches those paid in March, May, July and August. Lowe's also increased pay for full- and part-time employees by $2 an hour in April.
Ellison said it was happy to pay the extra as gratitude for hard work and commitment.
Lowe's and its related businesses employ around 300,000 people. The home improvement retailer has offered $55 million in grants to rural communities and small businesses.
Lowe's will introduce curbside trick-or-treating at its shops across the U.S. from 6 p.m to 7 p.m. between Oct. 22 and Oct. 29.
Lowe's expects the Halloween holiday to be different for many retailers, including Party City, where Halloween is responsible for roughly 20% of its local revenues.
