Amazon raised the minimum starting wage for U.S. full-time core operations employees by $1 to $20 an hour, covering front-line staff who sort, pack and transport orders. The company said typical hourly pay for those workers is nearly $24 and total compensation, including benefits, exceeds $32 an hour. All U.S. employees will receive grocery and everyday-essentials discounts from Oct. 1, while Day 1 Financial credit-union membership for qualified employees and their families is scheduled to begin rolling out in late 2026 and become broadly available in 2027. The changes arrive before the holiday shopping season and amid scrutiny of Amazon's labor practices, including a New Jersey antitrust lawsuit over its delivery contractor network.