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Trump tax cuts: Kroger to use savings to expand tuition reimbursement to part-time workers
April 16, 2018

Kroger said Monday it will spend five times the previous amount on tuition reimbursement as it unveiled its plans for the Republican tax cuts signed into law by President Trump.

Both full and part-time employees who have worked for Kroger six months will now be eligible for up to $3,500 in tuition reimbursement each year.
The company will invest up to $21,000 in each employee's education over multiple years whether it's a GED, college or advanced courses or professional certification.

"We want our associates to grow both personally and professionally," said Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen at morning press conference unveiling the new company perk.

Kroger officials said the previous tuition awards varied by market and were mostly available to full-time workers. Previously, full-time workers could get up to $3,000 per year and some part-time workers got $1,500 in tuition reimbursement.

Kroger officials wouldn't disclose the exact amount they expect to spend on worker tuition, but they said the new benefit, plus others disclosed Monday would cost $133 million or a third of the $400 million in annual tax savings. The company is returning the rest to shareholders and cutting customer prices.

McMullen said offering to shoulder the high cost of education for associates would also help the company attract and retain quality employees. Kroger officials said their tuition plan will be the most generous in the retail industry.

Other new employee perks unveiled Monday:

• Increasing Kroger's dollar-for-dollar 401K retirement match from 4 percent to 5 percent of the workers' salary.

• Expanding the employee 10 percent discount on house-brand goods across the country. It will also now offer employees additional discounts on general merchandise, home, apparel and jewelry.

• Adding $5 million in annual funding to Kroger's Helping Hands program for employees facing hardships.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2018/04/16/kroger-uses-trump-tax-cuts-expand-tuition-reimbursement-part-time-workers/520264002/