Walmart Cutting 7K Jobs: Report

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will eliminate 7,000 back-office positions across the United States., according to published reports.

As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, accounting and invoicing positions will be reduced over the next few months, but employees will be given the choice of filling more customer-facing roles, a Walmart spokeswoman told CNBC. This is apparently in line with the mega-retailer’s bid to enhance its customer service. Earlier this year, Walmart cut accounting and invoicing jobs at about 500 locations in the western United States, with the same choice offered to affected employees.

Some of the new positions employees have taken are in Walmart’s e-grocery business, the spokeswoman said, adding that while some of the new roles pay less, others pay the same or more. Making Change at Walmart, a group that advocates for the rights of Walmart employees, lambasted the policy, saying that it "will most likely put 7,000 workers in the position of having to choose between a pay cut or no job at all," in the words of Communications Director Jess Levin.

Additionally, Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart has been pumping $2.7 billion into training and salary raises, with employees who complete six months of training receiving at least $10 an hour.