Apple raising retail workers' pay

Apple Store workers across the United States are getting raises this summer, employees say. Three Apple employees in different regions told Dow Jones about the raises, with two saying they are to kick in next month. The Business Insider blog first reported that Apple Inc. was planning an increase in retail pay. Apple Inc. now pays its retail employees from $9 to $15 an hour for those at the lowest level, to as much as $30 for those given the "Genius" classification on technical support teams. One employee said Apple's own internal research found workers at the retail stores said pay levels were their biggest job frustration. Another said a Microsoft store had lured some Apple Store employees away with the promise of more money. John Browett, who joined Apple as head of retail operations two months ago, had promised that performance reviews would be moved up to the summer, the Dow Jones report said.