10 Lowe’s benefits you need to know about

Lowe's Home Improvement has over 300,000 employees worldwide. With more than 2,200 stores, this Fortune 500 company is a household name.

Employees are easily recognizable in their red vests, and working at Lowe’s can be a long-term career.

Working for this company has a range of perks and benefits for both part-time and full-time employees.

If you're considering applying for a role at Lowe's, you've come to the right place.

In this article, we'll tell you more about this home improvement and hardware store chain and the types of benefits you can expect to receive when working there.

We'll also give you tips on how to apply for a position.

What is Lowe’s?

Lowe’s is a popular home improvement company. It’s been in business for over 100 years and has more than 20 million customers each week.

What started as a small store in Mooresville, North Carolina, has now become the place to go for anyone looking to make repairs and improvements to their homes.

It’s also a one-stop shop for professional builders.

Why work at Lowe’s?

If you get a job at Lowe’s, there's the opportunity for career progression. Due to the size of the company, there's a range of positions available, and they hire up to 20,000 people per year.

The types of jobs you can expect to see advertised include seasonal, merchandising, supply chain, store support center, technology, and contact center roles.

Lowe’s values education. They offer training for new associates, and they may be able to help you pay your tuition. And Lowe’s gives selected students access to a 10-week internship program.

Plus, working at Lowe’s comes with a range of benefits, including health insurance, employee discounts, and a pension plan.

Lowe’s is an equal opportunity employer and doesn’t discriminate.

Does Lowe’s offer full-time benefits to part-time employees?

Part-time staff work between 20–30 hours a week. The benefits you get will depend on the location, days of service, your age, and your experience.

Lowes offers some benefits to part-time employees. However, their entitlements aren’t as comprehensive as their full-time colleagues.

Part-time employees can expect limited health insurance, accident insurance, short-term disability insurance, life insurance, a 401K plan, a stock purchase plan, and employee discounts.

To take advantage of insurance benefits, you'll need to work for 30 days before the enrollment period begins.

Most part-time employees don’t get hospital coverage.

Top 10 Lowe’s employee benefits

Are you thinking about applying for a job at a Lowe's home improvement store? You can start by browsing Lowe's jobs on the Jobcase board.

The retailer has a range of perks available to its associates. If you're not sure what to expect, here's a list of the top 10 Lowe's employee benefits:

1. Salary

Lowe's values its employees, and their salaries are competitive. How much you'll earn may depend on the location, your experience, and your job title. For example, a store manager earns more than a sales associate.

Let's take a look at a few positions and the average income for each:

• Customer service associate: Between $10–$15 per hour, with $12 the average.

• Cashier: Between $10–$14 per hour, with $12 the average.

• Sales associate: Between $10–$16 per hour, with $12 the average.

• Sales specialist: Between $14–$21 per hour, with $17 the average.

2. Paid time off

Full-time Lowe's employees are entitled to paid time off (PTO).

PTO includes vacation days, holidays, sick leave, medical leave, and volunteer time.

Your entitlements will depend on how long you've worked at the company and your position.

Most full-time associates receive between 10 and 15 days of vacation leave per year.

New employees need to wait one year before using this leave.

3. Health insurance

​Employees are entitled to healthcare with Lowe's health insurance policies. Coverage gives you general health care, dental, and vision insurance.

You can expect extras such as reduced-priced medications, telehealth services, and diabetes support.

There are two health insurance options to choose from, and you can cover yourself or your whole family. Depending on the coverage you select, you may be eligible for orthodontic treatments.

There are other health benefits as well. For example, Lowe's has a specialized mental health assistance program. This program gives vulnerable workers access to a health plan, which includes free counseling.

And you'll get maternity and paternity leave.

If you're in an eligible plan, you can set aside pre-tax deductions from your pay. This money is for unexpected health care expenses.

You'll need to work for 30 days before receiving these benefits.

4. Employee discount

If you work at Lowe’s, you’ll get an associate discount. When you start, you'll get an employee discount card that entitles you to 10% off.

You may also be eligible for a Christmas bonus.

5. Life insurance

Lowe’s offers life insurance to full-time workers once they’ve been with the company for more than 30 continuous days. If you’re on an hourly rate, you could be eligible for a $10,000 paid life plan. If you’re on a salary, you may be eligible for one based on your pay.

You could also get coverage that’s up to 10 times your annual salary, capped at $3,000,000.

Lowe’s also has Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance in the case of accidental death, dismemberment, or permanent disability.

6. Retirement benefits

Those who work at Lowe's can take advantage of their 401K retirement plans. You can make pre-tax contributions, and the company will match your payments.

But there's a limit. Lowe's will match up to 4.25% of your contributions on amounts of 6% or more.

To be eligible for the 401K plan, you'll need to be at least 18 years old. You'll also need to work for the home improvement company for at least 30 days.

7. Casual uniforms

All Lowe’s employees are given a signature red vest with the company logo. The rest of the uniform is neat and casual.

You can be comfortable at work because Lowe’s team members are allowed to wear jeans and a t-shirt.

8. Education support

Lowe's offers a range of educational incentives. They give students internships in different departments and provide educational support programs.

Some employees can access trade scholarships. Plus, they even offer tuition reimbursement for eligible associates.

9. Disability insurance

Another benefit for Lowe’s employees is disability insurance. If you get paid per hour, you'll need to wait 30 days for your coverage to start. If you’re on a salary, you’ll have coverage immediately.

While you may have to wait to receive your first benefit, this insurance covers both short-term and long-term disability.

10. Stock purchase plan

Lowe’s employees can take advantage of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The ESPP lets you buy shares in the company with a 15% discount.

Before you can purchase stock, you’ll need to work at Lowe’s for 30 continuous days.

How to apply for a job at Lowe’s

Take a look at Lowe's vacancies on Jobcase’s job board to find a position you’d like to apply for.

Next, you’ll need to sign up for an account at lowes.com. You can log in with an existing social media account or register with your email address, name, password, and security question.

You can upload your cover letter and resume and apply for positions that you’re interested in. The process can include multiple interviews, and you’ll need to complete an aptitude survey.

It’s a drug-free company, so you’ll need to pass a drug test to be hired.

Sometimes Lowe’s has hiring events in store. These are advertised on their website, Facebook, and Twitter. At these events, you can walk in and speak to a hiring manager.

The Lowe’s benefits you need to know about

Working at Lowe's comes with a range of perks. We introduced you to the company and gave you a quick comparison of part-time and full-time benefits.

We showed you ten of the top benefits, which include health insurance, paid time off, competitive salaries, employee discounts, life insurance, retirement benefits, casual uniforms, education support, and disability insurance.

And we gave you tips to apply for a job at your local home improvement retailer.

Once you've filled out your application, make sure you browse our Getting Hired Resource Center. We have tips for writing resumes, passing interviews, and more.