Walmart has boosted hourly wages for its more than 36,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacy technicians, including more than 1,600 in California.

The mega retailer said it also plans to hire 5,000 additional pharmacy technicians this year.

The pay hike took effect this week, raising their average wage to more than $20 an hour. The company has also committed to more frequent pay raises that will increase wages by up to $4 an hour for new hires over the next four years. Pharmacy techs will get raises every six months in their first two years with the company.

Walmart said it will also pay 100% of the costs for pharmacy tech certification. That includes everything from obtaining career diplomas and getting on-the-job training, to test preparation and paying the certification exam fee.

“This is the second time we’ve made significant wage investments for this group of associates in the past year, after also increasing their pay last August,” the company said. “We are sending a strong signal to pharmacy technicians everywhere that Walmart is serious about attracting top talent and giving them the tools to build a successful career.”

The pay hike took effect this week, boosting the average wage for pharmacy techs to more than $20 an hour. (Photo courtesy of Walmart)

Walmart said its pharmacy techs have been “front and center” during the pandemic as millions of customers and members were tested for COVID-19, adding that many “went above and beyond” to help administer vaccines across the country.

“Our Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacy technicians have proven time and time again how much they mean to the communities they serve,” the company said. “Simply put, our pharmacy technicians are heroes in their communities.”