Amazon would like to hire 150,000 seasonal workers across more than 20 states, in addition to more than 100,000 non-seasonal workers in warehousing and delivery — all while the country faces a notoriously stubborn labor shortage that's leaving even popular employers with a hard time filling jobs.
And Amazon has found itself less than popular with lots of workers, battling unusually high worker turnover rates that have made it difficult for the company to find interested workers in some places. The company said earlier this year it plans to hire more than 100,000 (non-seasonal) fulfillment workers and 40,000 additional corporate employees, hires that — if they happen — would make Amazon the largest private employer in the United States, surpassing Walmart.
The company has responded to its hiring issues and the labor shortage with pay boosts and other incentives — for example, it plans to offer an average $18 per hour starting salary, plus a $3,000 signing bonus, for the new seasonal workers across more than 20 states. Some workers may receive an additional $3 per hour depending on shifts — though what type of shift was unspecified — in many states, according to Amazon's Monday press release.
Amazon also recently unveiled a new "free" tuition coverage plan for workers who stay on more than three months, though the actual offerings of that plan are somewhat limited. Walmart, Target and other large employers have also started offering competing benefits.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE