Amazon says it is adding 100,000 new full-and part-time jobs throughout the U.S. to keep up with the surge in shopper demand in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The online retailer also says it will temporarily increase hourly workers' compensation.
“We are opening 100,000 new full- and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centers and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon’s service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public,” Dave Clark, Amazon's senior VP of worldwide operations, wrote in a blog on the company’s website.
In addition to the new jobs, Amazon says it will temporarily increase its pay “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 is temporarily increasing the compensation for hourly employees across the U.S., Europe, and Canada. In the U.S., it will add an additional $2 an hour worked through April from its current rate of $15 an hour or more, depending on the region, along with £2 per hour in the U.K., and approximately €2 per hour in many European countries, the publication Chain Store Age reported. The company said the increased represents an investment of over $350 million in increased compensation for hourly employees across the U.S., Europe and Canada.
“Health and safety are a top priority with all of our roles and sites,” stated Clark. “We continue to consult with medical and health experts, and take all recommended precautions in our buildings and stores to keep people healthy. We’ve taken measures to promote social distancing in the workplace and taken on enhanced and frequent cleaning, to name just a few.”