(Reuters) - Lowe’s Cos Inc said on Thursday it plans to hire more than 50,000 workers across its U.S. stores in the spring as the retailer races to meet pandemic-fueled demand for home improvement products. The company also said it would pay frontline workers about $80 million in additional discretionary bonuses, taking its total COVID-19 financial commitment to employees and communities to nearly $1.3 billion. Demand for home improvement goods has surged since the start of the pandemic as homeowners, with limited options for travel or leisure activities, spend more of their discretionary income on minor remodeling and repair work. Spring is the busiest time of the year for retailers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot Inc as people catch up on gardening and other home improvement jobs after frigid winter months. Lowe’s said it has hired more than 90,000 workers for permanent roles over the past year.