Lowe’s giving employee bonuses, hiring 30,000 positions

Lowe’s is hiring 30,000 workers and giving employees $80 million in bonuses as part of its response to the growing coronavirus pandemic.

The bonuses for the home improvement chain’s 300,000 employees range from $150 for part-time workers to $300 for full-time workers, Lowe’s president and CEO Marvin Ellison said in an interview with USA TODAY Wednesday.

The company also is offering employees most susceptible to the coronavirus up to four weeks of emergency paid leave, Ellison said, which is similar to a program Target announced last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said people over 65, pregnant or with underlying medical conditions are at risk to COVID-19.

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Like other retailers, Lowe’s is starting to install sneeze guards or plexiglass barriers or partitions in stores and is adding reminders of social distancing in signage and store announcements.