Amazon is hiring 250,000 seasonal employees ahead of the holiday season to keep up with customer demands, up from 150,000 last year. The retail giant plans to invest $1.3 billion this year to bring more full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers to its fulfillment centers and delivery crew across the U.S.
Amazon is increasing the average pay to $20.50 an hour and offering $1,000 to $3,000 sign-on bonuses, depending on the job title and location. Roles are dispersed throughout Amazon’s operations, including stowing, picking items, packaging, sorting, shipping customer orders, etc.
The move comes after Amazon has laid off 27,000 full-time employees affecting all of its units, including from its devices business just as it unveiled a slew of new products. That the online retail giant continues to hire — albeit on a temporary basis — underscores the company’s need to continue its drive to expand its logistical and shipping capabilities, especially during the critical holiday shopping period.
The company has opened more than 50 new fulfillment centers, delivery stations, and same-day delivery locations in the U.S. this year, creating job openings for hundreds of thousands of people looking for work during the busiest time of the year for retailers. Visit Amazon Jobs to find a hiring event near you.
John Felton, senior vice president of worldwide operations at Amazon, said the additional roles will help better serve customers, while a pay bump can help employees fulfill their career goals.
“A fulfillment or transportation employee who starts with us today will see a 13% increase in pay over the next three years – likely more, including our annual wage investments,” said Felton. “And that’s on top of offerings like pre-paid college tuition with Career Choice and health care benefits on day one.”
After increased labor tensions throughout Amazon’s delivery service and a concerning employee injury record in recent years, Amazon added a slew of new benefits to employees this year, such as an emergency savings program and a financial assistance pilot, which has already contributed $20 million to workers.
“We’re providing jobs with competitive pay and great benefits, including free upskilling opportunities,” said Holly Sullivan, vice president of worldwide economic development at Amazon.
Additional benefits include career advancement opportunities, earned pay access, a 401(k) with company match, and health, vision, and dental insurance. Employees are eligible for up to 20 weeks of parental leave. Amazon’s Resources for Living Program offers workers and their families mental health and financial services. Benefits start on the first day of employment.
In May, Amazon restructured its delivery operations to speed up deliveries for next or same-day shipping while also cutting operational costs, which led to 27,000 employees being laid off, according to CNN Business. The company moved away from using one national delivery network, which relied on long-distance shipping that cost Amazon and its customers more while increasing delivery times.
Now, Amazon has eight warehouse regions to reduce the time and distance a package travels to its final destination. CEO Andy Jassy said Amazon is on track to increase delivery speeds to more next-day and same-day deliveries, and adding extra employees will help the company reach its fastest delivery speeds yet.