California is raising its statewide minimum wage to $17.40 per hour starting January 1, 2027.
Sam's Club said Tuesday it will raise pay to incentivize workers to stay with the company - and not jump ship to Costco.
The new starting wage for store employees will be $18 an hour, and the new starting wage for warehouse workers will be $23 an hour.
The raises for thousands of Los Angeles employees total 22% over five years.
Some restaurants are already planning to lay off workers and raise prices when the minimum-wage increase starts in California next month.
In a press conference Tuesday, former and current manicurists gave examples of the poor working conditions endured by many in the industry - one primarily made up of Vietnamese, immigrant, refugee women.