HOUSTON – The federal minimum wage hasn't budged since 2009. It is just $7.25. But many retailers have started raising pay for employees to remain competitive.
Beginning Nov. 1, the minimum wage for all Amazon employees is $15 an hour. We sent a KPRC2 intern undercover to find out how other Houston retailers stack up.
With professional attire and persistence, she asked the same question all over Houston: "What's your starting pay?"
The answers varied at Houston grocery stores. A manager at Kroger told her that cashiers start at $7.75 an hour. Trader Joe's starts its employees at $11 an hour.
WalMart announced at the start of 2018 it was raising its hourly wage to $11 an hour. Discount grocer Aldi tops that, paying its employees a starting wage of $12.35 an hour.
Since Whole Foods is owned by Amazon, its employees will also make $15 an hour.
At the Galleria, Macy's told our potential applicant that employees start at $9 an hour; while Nordstrom pays between $11 and $12 an hour to start.
The Gap falls in the middle, starting employees at $10 an hour.
One of the highest-paying entry-level retail jobs we found that requires no experience was Bucees where cashiers start at $12 an hour and deli employees make $13 an hour.
Some managers refused to reveal any information on pay until our intern submitted an application, but job sites reveal Lowe's and Home Depot both start employees in the $11 range.
Costco confirmed its starting pay is $14 an hour.
Right now, many of these retailers are hiring for seasonal positions at the same rates.
KPRC2 did this same comparison of what Houston employers were paying in 2014. Pay rates at some employers have gone up $2 or more in the last 4 years.