Charter said that over the next two years it will raise its minimum wage from $15 per hour to $20 per hour for all employees.
The cable operator said that it was already discussing a minimum wage increase, but it has accelerated its plans due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. An initial retroactive $1.50 increase will be implemented immediately for the company’s hourly frontline employees in the field and customer operation groups.
“These employees provide essential communications services to our residential and business communities, including hospitals, first responder and government facilities, which help flatten the curve and protect the country,” said Charter in a statement.
The same field and customer operations hourly workers will receive another permanent $1.50 per hour raise on top of their March 2021 merit increase and charter has committed that in 2022, all hourly employees will have a minimum starting rate of $20 per hour.
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“Because of the important work we do, there will continue to be crises we will face, including hurricanes, floods, tornados, fires, and ice storms for as long as we are in business. We keep people connected no matter what. It’s the obligation we have to the communities we serve,” said Charter CEO Tom Rutledge in a statement.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, other cable companies are offering financial incentives to their frontline employees who are at increased risk of exposure.
Comcast said that it is giving its customer-facing employees who cannot work from home an increase to their base salary. Altice USA last week announced plans to give 20% premium pay on hours worked for its customer-interfacing retail and field service employees. AT&T is paying a 20% bonus above the regular hourly base rate of pay to its frontline union employees.