COVID-19 made a significant and enduring impact on our lives — it changed how we shop and how we interacted with one another. It also made us look at health care from a different angle, knowing that our associates need access to virtual and seamless support more than ever.
As a company, we continuously review our benefits and well-being programs, and thoughtfully make updates based on what makes sense for our associates. That’s why for 2022’s open enrollment period, happening now through November 16, we’re excited to launch a number of new and expanded programs that will help our associates get quality care in convenient ways. We’re also keeping medical plans as low as $31.40 per paycheck for associate-only coverage in most locations.
In addition, we continue to offer a host of great benefits year-round that go beyond the standard medical, dental and vision plans and help take care of our associates’ physical, emotional and financial well-being. The right benefits at the right time can be life-changing.
Here’s a peek into some key initiatives for Walmart and Sam’s Club associates in 2022.
Easy Access to Convenient Care
We want to make it easier to live better, so we’re introducing digital benefits programs in select areas that will connect associates enrolled in a Walmart medical plan with great care and preventive visits.
- For example, our state-of-the-art virtual physical therapy program. It helps associates feel better by giving them direct access to a licensed physical therapist through convenient video visits and the freedom to do their therapy anytime, anywhere through app-based exercises. This flexibility to go at your own pace often leads to quicker recovery.
- And our new gastrointestinal health pilot. It helps associates improve their digestive health by giving them round-the-clock access to a team of professionals dedicated to helping them improve their digestive health, plus ongoing education, one-on-one coaching and more.
- We’re also offering virtual access to primary care doctors who can handle associates’ everyday health needs like asthma or diabetes, guide them to specialists to help with their care, connect them with behavioral health professionals and more.
Accessible and Personalized Benefit Options
We’re making our benefits more inclusive and less complicated, so associates enrolled in a Walmart medical plan can stay healthy and live better.
- In June, we announced two new benefits: Included Health Communities, a care-navigation platform tailored for the LGBTQ+ community, and doula coverage for plan participants in Georgia, which offers our associates up to $1,000 per pregnancy.
- Associates in select states will also get their own Personal Healthcare Assistant who will offer them personalized support, give them fast and easy access to doctors, help them get a second opinion or figure out a complicated medical bill.
Other Physical, Emotional and Financial Well-Being Investments
We take an integrated, whole-self approach to benefits, so whether you are a technologist working on our eCommerce experience, an hourly associate stocking shelves or in any role across the enterprise, our associates have access to a lot of great well-being benefits year-round, including:
- Confidential, no-cost counseling. We offer associates and family members up to 10 no-cost counseling sessions per concern through Resources for Living (RFL). RFL licensed professionals are available 24/7 to listen and offer caring advice on coping with change, stress, parenting, anxiety or grief.
- Retirement savings with company match. Long-term financial well-being is critical for our associates, and Walmart makes it easy to double your retirement savings by matching 6% of your 401(k) contributions. The benefit is available to full- and part-time hourly U.S. associates and associates are eligible tp begin saving on their first day of work.
- Company match for stock purchases. The Associate Stock Purchase Plan is another way to build financial well-being and Walmart matches 15% of the first $1,800 associates contribute, up to $270 per plan per year.
- Walmart will pay 100% of college tuition and books. Associates in the U.S. can earn college degrees or learn trade skills without the burden of education debt through our Live Better U education program.
- Taking paid time off for things that matter. Our paid time off (PTO) plan gives Walmart’s full- and part-time associates the flexibility to take time off when they need it the most.
- Paid time off for new parents. Our maternity benefit and parental leave policy allows birth moms to receive up to 16 weeks of paid time off. New parents, including adoptive and foster parents, are also offered up to six weeks of paid parental leave to bond with a new child. In addition, we offer up to a $5,000 adoption benefit for eligible expenses. Qualified full-time hourly and salaried associates in the U.S. are eligible.
- An affordable, $9 gym membership with Fitness Pass. If you’re a full-time, part-time or temporary U.S. associate, you and your family have access to thousands of fitness locations with the Fitness Pass network and can take advantage of this benefit for as low as $9 a paycheck.
- World-class treatment for serious conditions. Associates enrolled in most Walmart medical plans have access to some of the best specialists and hospitals in the country through our Centers of Excellence program.
These benefits complement Walmart’s U.S. average hourly wage of $16.40, on-the-job training and classroom training, consistent/reliable schedules for full-time associates and more.
We understand that being healthy and feeling great requires a multi-faceted approach and a real commitment, and we’re truly dedicated to helping our associates live better every day.
