KEY POINTS The company will give a $2 per hour hike to its workers

Entry wages for workers will hike to between $15 and $19 an hour effective from May 25

The decision came after rivals such as Amazon.com Inc and Target Corp boosted minimum wages for workers

American retail giant Walmart Inc. on Monday decided to temporarily raise the entry wages of its workers in the company’s e-commerce sector. The company has given a $2 per hour hike to its workers as it is fighting its way to manage the shopping surge brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision came soon after rivals such as Amazon.com Inc and Target Corp boosted minimum wages for workers and also announced mass hiring.

Walmart will increase entry wages for workers in e-commerce fulfillment centers or warehouses to between $15 and $19 an hour effective from May 25 this year.

Walmart announced special cash bonuses and advanced quarterly payout bonuses worth $550 million to its hourly staff and supply chain associates last week. The company has also decided to hire 150,000 temporary workers in its stores and fulfillment centers by the end of May.

Walmart also reached out to the hotel and restaurant industry, offering to hire staff who recently lost their jobs due to the virus outbreak.

The company on Monday said new joiners can begin work at its facilities in as little as 24 hours after being hired. It is also offering a $250 cash bonus for each new hire referral after 90 days from the start.

Walmart employs around 1.5 million people in the United States. The company has struggled to fulfill online orders and to keep its store shelves stocked amidst the pandemic.