Seattle-Based Amazon To Hire 75K Workers Amid Coronavirus Demand

SEATTLE, WA—Amazon announced plans Monday to hire an additional 75,000 workers at its facilities, on top of the 100,000 jobs it pledged to fill last month. According to the company, the continued hiring comes following a demand for services amid the nationwide coronavirus outbreak.

"Today, we are proud to announce that our original 100,000 jobs pledge is filled and those new employees are working at sites across the U.S. helping to serve customers," Amazon said in an online statement. "We continue to see increased demand as our teams support their communities, and are going to continue to hire."

The company is offering both full and part-time hours, with positions ranging from warehouse team member to picking out groceries for customer orders as a Prime Now shopper.

"We know many people have been economically impacted as jobs in areas like hospitality, restaurants and travel are lost or furloughed as part of this crisis, and we welcome anyone out of work to join us at Amazon until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back," the company said.

As Amazon continues to hire extra workers, it expects to spend more than $500 million to increase worker wages during the pandemic. According to the the online retailer, it recently increased pay for hourly employees by $2 per hour in the United States and $2 per hour in Canada, as well as similar increases the United Kingdom many European Union countries.

"We’ll continue to invest in safety, pay and benefits for our teams who are playing an invaluable role in getting items to communities around the world," the company said.

Last week, Amazon workers across the country walked off the job, protesting conditions and demanding better health and safety practices from the company. According to Amazon, it has delivered personal protective gear, such as masks for its employees, and implemented temperature checks across its operations worldwide.

To view a complete list of Amazon jobs in your area, click here.

SEE ALSO:

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• Amazon Employee Infected With Coronavirus In Seattle

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