How Walmart’s low wages impact the economy

Walmart doesn’t pay its workers well and taxpayers are picking up the tab.

Around the world, wealthy countries might be creating jobs but they’re worse jobs that pay lower wages and offer fewer benefits. In the United States, one of the largest employers of low-wage workers is Walmart. About 1.4 million Americans work for Walmart — the company has about two million employees worldwide. And the average hourly wage for a Walmart associate? An estimated $8.81 an hour. That’s 28 percent less than employees earn at other large retailers. At the same time Walmart brought in $17 billion in profits in 2012 and in the fourth quarter of 2012 saw its profits rise 8.6 percent.

By Tyler Falk

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