Amazon raises US minimum starting pay to $20 an hour, adds Whole Foods discounts

Amazon has increased minimum starting pay for US core operations workers to $20 an hour, with benefits cited as pushing average total compensation above $32.

• Amazon has raised its US minimum starting pay to $20 an hour and average hourly pay to nearly $24, an increase of $1 for eligible employees.
• The company said the pay rise involves an investment of more than $1.5 billion.
• Amazon said it will add a 20% in-store discount at Whole Foods Market, 10% off online grocery orders, and a low-cost banking service for employees.
• Udit Madan, senior vice-president of worldwide operations, announced the increase in a blog post, saying average total compensation tops $32 per hour with benefits.