Starbucks is expanding its paid sick leave and parental leave after tax cuts — and employee requests. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Daniel Acker.
Starbucks is expanding its paid sick leave and parental leave after tax cuts — and employee requests. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Daniel Acker. Credit: Daniel Acker

Seattle —�� Starbucks will provide paid sick time to its employees nationwide and give its 150,000 hourly and salaried U.S. workers another wage increase in April, three months after its regular January pay increase, the company said.

The Seattle-based coffee company, which says the benefits expansion will cost $250 million in its first year, also will grant workers additional stock worth $500 to $2,000.

“Everyone is getting a raise — the level they get depends on the region and the cost of living,” said spokesman Reggie Borges.

Many U.S. companies have announced bonuses or wage increases since Congress last month reduced the corporate income tax from 35 percent to 21 percent.

A tight labor market and rising minimum wages in many cities and states mean companies are under pressure anyhow to pay more.

Starbucks also was under pressure from employees and others to improve some benefits.

In June two baristas delivered to Starbucks headquarters a 30,000-signature petition urging that store employees receive the same parental leave as they would at the company’s corporate level.

Starbucks now is changing its store-level policy so fathers whose partners give birth also get six weeks of leave with 100 percent pay.

Corporate-level employees get 12 weeks at 100 percent pay, plus 6 weeks for mothers.