By Leslie Patton | Bloomberg

Starbucks Corp. is introducing benefits related to financial savings and student-loan debt for its US baristas. The company says it isn’t allowed to give these new perks to staff at the roughly 300 stores where there’s been union activity.

The new benefits begin Sept. 19, Seattle-based Starbucks said in a statement Monday. The savings program lets staff contribute a part of their after-tax pay to a personal savings account, with the company contributing $25 and $50 credits at milestones up to $250 per person. Starbucks workers will also have access to a new student-loan benefit with coaching on debt about repayment options and refinancing.

Starbucks, which has more than 15,000 US locations, legally can’t unilaterally give these benefits to stores that have union activity, according to spokesperson Reggie Borges. Instead, the new benefits can be discussed in collective bargaining, he said.

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However, Workers United, the group attempting to organize Starbucks cafes, has argued that the union waived its right to negotiate over extending benefits being provided to other stores, so there’s no legal obstacle to doing so. In August, National Labor Relations Board prosecutors issued a complaint alleging Starbucks violated labor law by withholding new benefits from unionized stores.

Starbucks first announced broader benefits improvements for its baristas on May 3 — saying they would include opportunities to increase sick-time accrual, a new financial-stability program and tools to help those with student loans. The latter two items are what the company addressed in the Monday announcement.