Oct. 7 (UPI) — Amazon is looking to get a jump on any potential logistics issues, and will hire 150,000 employees in the United States to help deal with the holiday shopping rush, the company said on Thursday.
Full-time, seasonal, and part-time roles will be available in a number of positions from packing and picking to sorting, the company said in a statement. Stowing and shipping positions are also available.
New hires can expect to earn more than $19 per hour on average, the company said, adding that the new positions will be located in all of its operational regions, which cover hundreds of cities and towns across the United States.
Amazon increased its average starting pay for warehouse and delivery workers to more than $19 an hour last week, up from $18 amid a tight labor market.
The company says signing bonuses between $1,000 and $3,000 are available in certain locations.
The news comes as Amazon prepares to host a Prime Early Access Sale on Oct. 11-12, marking the first time the online retailer has held a sale similar to its annual Prime Day twice in one year.
The sales event will give Amazon Prime subscribers access to “hundreds of thousands” of holiday deals.
Amazon hired the same number of holiday workers in 2021 with similar $3,000 signing bonuses.
“We’re proud to offer a wide variety of roles for people of all backgrounds, with more than 150,000 roles available across the country. Whether someone is looking for some extra money for a few months or a long-term career, the holidays are a great time for people to join Amazon, and many of our seasonal employees return year-after-year or transition into full-time roles,” Amazon senior vice president John Felton said in a statement.
“Those who choose to stay with us will find a lot of opportunities to grow their careers, whether they take advantage of our free college tuition programs or seek out promotions across our network-this year alone, more than 20,000 front-line employees received promotions.”
