Amazon.com (AMZN 0.58%) has faced arguably the greatest challenge in its existence as it attempts to keep its customers supplied during the coronavirus pandemic. The online retailer was hit with tremendous demand and has made a number of moves including prioritizing delivery of essential supplies and hiring 100,000 additional workers.
Now, the company wants to make sure it's taking care of its hourly workers, who are essentially on the front lines of this situation. To do that, Amazon has increased pay for some workers in a number of countries.
Amazon is increasing pay for workers in its warehouses. Image source: Amazon.
What is Amazon doing?
The online retail giant has been pushing its workers hard, and it's going to reward them by paying them more. These raises apply to workers "in fulfillment centers, transportation operations, stores or those making deliveries so that others can remain at home," according to a press release.
"We want to recognize our employees who are playing an essential role for people at a time when many of the services that might normally be there to support them are closed," the company wrote. "In the U.S., we will be adding an additional $2 USD per hour worked through April from our current rate of $15/hour or more, depending on the region, C$2 in Canada, £2 per hour in the UK, and approximately 2 [Euros] per hour in many EU countries."
Amazon needs to do this
When just coming to work brings the danger of being infected, it makes sense to pay more money to people taking that risk. Amazon, it should be noted, is also expanding its paid time off plan for hourly workers, including offering two weeks of paid time for anyone who contracts COVID-19 or anyone quarantined after being exposed.
