Amazon announced on Tuesday, October 20th, that it plans to hire 300,000 seasonal, part-time, and full-time workers in the United States during this year’s holiday season, marking a 20% increase compared to the same period last year.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday retail sales this year are expected to surpass 1 trillion dollars for the first time.
In September, Amazon announced that it would raise the minimum starting wage for full-time employees to $20 per hour, with an average hourly wage for full-time employees around $24, and a seasonal employee’s average hourly wage at $20.
Starting January 1, 2027, seasonal employees working at least 30 hours per week will also be eligible for the same healthcare benefits as full-time employees, with insurance plans starting at just $5 per week and a $5 copay for doctor visits.
From October to December, the company will release recruitment information weekly.
Here are some of the positions Amazon is currently recruiting for and their salary packages:
– Locker+ Retail Assistant in Jackson, Wyoming
Hourly wage: $21.50 – $22, plus up to $3,000 sign-on bonus;
– Warehouse Assistant at a distribution center in Danbury, Connecticut
Hourly wage: $21 – $23.50;
– Warehouse Equipment Operator in Easton, Pennsylvania
Hourly wage: $21.25 – $23.75;
– XL Warehouse Equipment Operator in Huntley, Illinois
Hourly wage: $22 – $24.50;
– Robot Warehouse Assistant in Omaha, Nebraska
Hourly wage: $20.25 – $22.75.
The increase in Amazon’s hiring contrasts sharply with the broader retail industry recruitment landscape, as several large chain stores either maintain stable recruitment or reduce the number of temporary workers hired during the busiest shopping season of the year.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a job search and consulting firm, predicts that in the fourth quarter of 2026, U.S. retailers will add 450,000 new jobs, slightly lower than the 461,500 jobs added during the same period last year. This forecast indicates that despite expected growth in holiday sales, employers remain cautious in seasonal hiring.
Deloitte also forecasts that consumer spending during the holiday season will continue to increase, but shoppers remain price-sensitive, leading retailers to be hesitant in increasing labor without clear evidence of the need for additional manpower.
Seasonal workers may face contract expiration or temporary unemployment at the end of their jobs, a phenomenon known as seasonal unemployment. This situation stems from the cyclical fluctuations in labor demand in specific industries and is not due to poor employee performance. Outstanding performers may have the opportunity to be retained during the slow season and transition to permanent roles, but most will need to find new opportunities after their contracts end.
(This article was referenced from a report by CBS News)