Walmart, the largest private sector employer in Indiana, is rolling out a new bonus and other benefits for hourly workers.
The Northwest Arkansas-based retailer, the largest brick-and-mortar retailer in the United States, is now offering annual bonuses of up to $1,000 for full- and part-time hourly employees at its stores. Up to 17,000 of its hourly store employees in Indiana will qualify for the new bonus.
They have to be employed by Walmart for a year to qualify.
The retail giant said it has increased hourly wages by 30% over the last five years. It now pays an average hourly wage of around $18.
Walmart has a major footprint in the Calumet Region with stores in Hammond, Hobart, Schererville, Portage, Michigan City, LaPorte and Valparaiso. The company announced the new benefits to its employees Wednesday.
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Walmart is launching an associate-to-technician pipeline program that trains its employees to work in technical roles in areas like facilities maintenance, refrigeration and HVAC and automation. Those technician jobs pay between $19 and $45 an hour.
The company started the program in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and is looking to roll it out more widely.
Walmart also aims to double certificates in its Live Better U program, offering employees more than 50 skills certificates. The program aims to fast-rack hourly employees to more than 100,000 higher-paying, in-demand jobs in its stores, clubs and supply chain. Employees for instance can train to become pharmacy technicians, opticians and software engineers.
Beer Geeks, one of the Region’s first, most beloved and most influential craft beer bars, closed after more than a decade and is being reimagined as a new concept.
The landmark 88-year-old castle-shaped White Castle in Whiting is coming down to be replaced with a newer, larger, more modern White Castle restaurant.
A longtime staple in downtown Crown Point poured its last drink.
The longtime Westforth Sports gun shop is closing.
The Silver Line Building Products plant at 16801 Exchange Ave. will be shuttered permanently.
Brewfest in Highland will close in what’s been called “an end of an era.”
David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy and could close all stores if no buyer emerges to save it.
The 88-year-old Whiting White Castle will be remembered with displays at museums in two different states.
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For years, the “millionaire’s club” met every morning in the corner booth of the historic 88-year-old White Castle at Indianapolis Boulevard and 119th Street in downtown Whiting. The landmark restaurant served its final slider Tuesday.
One of Northwest Indiana’s most popular and enduring hobby shops is looking for a buyer after the longtime owner died.
J&L This N That Consignment Shop, a popular thrift store, closed in downtown Whiting after a run of several years.
A Calumet Region institution, Calumet Fisheries on the far South Side of Chicago, is temporarily closed after failing a city health inspection.
Just days after reopening after city health inspectors shut it down, Calumet Fisheries suffered a major fire.
Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant is no mas in Valparaiso.
Beer Geeks in Highland rebranded as B-Side Bar & Lounge and then closed within a few months.
Troubled retailer Bed Bath and Beyond will permanently close its Valparaiso location as it shutters more stores nationwide as it looks to restructure and shrink its footprint to save the struggling business.
Peoples Bank has shuttered its branch in downtown Hammond.
Viking Artisan Ales will soon pour its last craft beer at its Merrillville taproom.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is closing after 15 years at one of Northwest Indiana’s most prominent highway interchanges.
Walmart is closing its big-box store in Homewood.
The Chicago Auto Show, the nation’s largest auto show, returns to McCormick Place Saturday, running through Feb. 19.
Munster-based Land O’Frost, the packaged lunchmeat giant, is laying off 215 workers in Chicago and shuttering a plant it acquired two years ago.
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