Amazon to Hire 250,000 New Employees for Holiday Rush

Amazon plans to recruit 250,000 new workers for its warehouses in preparation for the upcoming holiday season. This figure represents an increase of 67% compared to the previous year. 

The company has a longstanding tradition of increasing hourly wages annually and, over the past five years, has invested more than US$10 billion in this regard. This year, Amazon plans to invest US$1.3 billion to raise hourly wages to over US$20.50 across customer fulfillment and transportation roles in the US.

In addition to these wage hikes, Amazon has introduced new employee benefits this year. These include an emergency savings program and a financial assistance pilot initiative, which collectively has saved customer fulfillment and transportation employees nearly US$20 million, said the company. 

Recently, Amazon expanded its presence in Mexico by inaugurating a last-mile warehouse in Mexico City. This facility covers 30,000m² and complements Amazon's existing network of 45 centers. The company’s operations in Mexico provide direct employment to over 8,000 individuals and indirectly support 32,000 jobs.

Since entering the Mexican market, Amazon has created a total of 15,000 jobs in the country and contributed MX$13 billion (US$761.2 million) to the national GDP. 

Amazon inaugurated over 50 new fulfillment centers, delivery hubs and same-day delivery sites across the US this year, leading to the creation of numerous job opportunities at each location, with the quantity varying based on the size and location of each facility. 

Amazon’s new hiring initiative comes on the heels of its recent wave of layoffs, which resulted in the elimination of 27,000 positions, equivalent to 9% of its approximately 300,000 corporate workforce. 

In addition to Amazon, other retail giants such as Target and Macy’s have also announced plans to hire large numbers of seasonal workers. Target intends to bring on board 100,000 new employees, while Macy’s plans to hire 38,000 workers.