Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale has raised the pay of its hourly employees at four production plants in northwest Arkansas.
The wage increase went into effect Sunday and will bring the starting hourly pay to $15.20 an hour for employees at Tyson Foods’ locations in Rogers and Springdale. The company also said it is offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus for new hires.
Tyson Foods said its U.S. workers vaccinated against the coronavirus would be eligible for 20 hours of paid sick leave beginning in 2022. New hires will get a week’s vacation after six months of employment.
“We are committed to ensuring that our workforce feels valued and supported,” said Matt Evans, complex manager for the company in northwest Arkansas. “Our team members work hard every day to provide food to families across the globe, and we are proud to competitively compensate them for their dedicated work.”
Tyson Foods said it will continue to offer free, on-site vaccinations for its employees. The company previously announced that its employees would have to be vaccinated by Nov. 1.
It also said more than 90,000 of its 120,000 U.S. employees have received at least one vaccination shot.
