Amazon to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 for US Employees

• Amazon to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 for US Employees

Amazon.com on Tuesday announced it’s plan to raise the minimum wage for all U.S. employees to $15, starting from next month.

The new minimum wage will benefit about 250,000 employees, including part-time and temporary employees, as well as another 100,000 seasonal employees, the company said.

According to the company, employees that are already earning $15 per hour will also get a pay rise.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, was called out last month by Sen. Bernie Sanders in a tweet shortly after the company market capitalization hit $1 trillion.

“Amazon is worth $1 TRILLION.

Jeff Bezos is worth $155 BILLION.

Thousands of Amazon workers have to rely on food stamps, Medicaid and public housing to survive.

That is what a rigged economy looks like. Tomorrow we will introduce a bill to end subsidies for low-wage employers,” Sanders stated in a tweet.

Bezos has now responded to the criticism with a pay rise and called on competitors to do the same.

“We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead,” Bezos said in a statement. “We’re excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us.”

In September, Amazon market value rose to $1 trillion to become the second publicly traded company in the U.S to attain such valuation.