Soon, everyone will work for Amazon.com (AMZN -1.65%). The e-commerce behemoth announced today it would be hiring an additional 100,000 full- and part-time employees in the U.S. and Canada as online sales continue to boom.
It hired 175,000 workers in March and April to staff its warehouses as the global pandemic shut down retail stores and consumers turned to e-commerce to fulfill their purchase needs. Amazon subsequently said it would make 125,000 jobs permanent.
Image source: Amazon.com.
Straining the system
The new positions Amazon is filling will pay a minimum of $15 per hour, while in certain cities it is also offering $1,000 signing bonuses. The full-time positions will provide access to the retailer's benefits package, which includes health, vision, and dental insurance; a 401(k) program where Amazon matches contributions by 50%; paid parental leave for 20 weeks; and 95% tuition prepayment for classes in certain high-demand fields.
Yet Amazon has also come under scrutiny for how it treats employees, with some critical of the demands and work conditions it imposes. New York's attorney general is investigating the company over whether it violated federal worker health and safety laws.
In addition to the new jobs, Amazon also said it would be opening 100 new facilities this month, such as fulfillment centers, delivery stations, sortation centers, and other sites. Many of the new positions will be at these locations.
Amazon has over 1 million employees worldwide with over 600,000 in the U.S. Investors shouldn't be surprised if Amazon hires even more employees as we get closer to the Christmas holiday.
