Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., announced on Thursday that they would increase the wages for half a million employees.

After receiving criticism for paying workers the bare legal minimum, Wal-Mart said that all of its United States workers would earn at least $9 an hour by April, according to The New York Times. This will result in about a 40 percent raise of its work force.

Along with Gap and Ikea, Wal-Mart has taken steps to raise their minimum wages and attract lower-wage workers. Although the wages are raised, Costco continues to have the highest wages by paying $20 an hour.

For more on this story head to: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/business/walmart-raising-wage-to-at-least-9-dollars.html?_r=0