Sunday, January 19, 2025
15.0°F

Amazon seeks to hire 100,000 to keep up with surge in orders

AP Retail Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 10 months AGO
by AP Retail Writer
| March 17, 2020 12:05 AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said Monday that it needs to hire 100,000 people across the U.S. to keep up with a crush of orders as the coronavirus spreads and keeps more people at home, shopping online.

The online retailer said it will also temporarily raise pay by $2 an hour through the end of April for hourly employees. That includes workers at its warehouses, delivery centers and Whole Foods grocery stores, all of whom make at least $15 an hour. Employees in the United Kingdom and other European countries will get a similar raise.

“We are seeing a significant increase in demand, which means our labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year,” said Dave Clark, who oversees Amazon’s warehouse and delivery network.

Amazon said this weekend that a surge of orders is putting its operations under pressure. It warned shoppers that it could take longer than the usual two days to get packages. It also said it was sold out of many household cleaning supplies and is working to get more in stock.

Last week, Amazon tweaked to its time-off policy for hourly workers, telling them they could take as much time off as they wanted in March, although they would only be paid if they had earned time off. Additionally, Amazon said it would pay hourly workers for up to two weeks if they contracted the virus or needed to be quarantined.

The Seattle-based company said the new job openings are for a mix of full-time and part-time positions and include delivery drivers and warehouse workers, who pack and ship orders to shoppers.

Amazon is already the second-largest U.S.-based employer behind Walmart, with nearly 800,000 workers worldwide.

_____

Follow Joseph Pisani at http://twitter.com/josephpisani

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Amazon seeks to hire 100,000 to keep up with surge in orders
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 4 years, 10 months ago
Amazon seeks to hire 100,000 to keep up with surge in orders
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 4 years, 10 months ago
Amazon seeks to hire 100,000 to keep up with surge in orders
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 4 years, 10 months ago

ARTICLES BY AP RETAIL WRITER

October 4, 2020 12:03 a.m.

Amazon: Nearly 20,000 workers tested positive for COVID-19

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its front-line U.S. workers have tested positive or been presumed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

October 3, 2020 12:03 a.m.

Amazon: Nearly 20,000 workers tested positive for COVID-19

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its front-line U.S. workers have tested positive or been presumed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

October 3, 2020 12:03 a.m.

Walmart looks to airports as inspiration of new store layout

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers.