Amazon to recruit over 300,000 workers for holiday season in first hiring jump in three years

Amazon plans to add more than 300,000 workers in the United States for the holiday shopping period, Business Recorder reported on Tuesday. This would be its first seasonal hiring increase in three years, after keeping holiday staffing at 250,000 annually over that period. The company is recruiting for seasonal, part-time and full-time positions in its core US operations.

The National Retail Federation expects US holiday sales to rise 4.2% year over year to above $1 trillion this year. Amazon said that from next year, seasonal staff working at least 30 hours weekly will qualify for healthcare coverage offered to full-time employees. Full-time workers will receive a minimum $20 hourly wage, with average pay close to $24, while seasonal employees will average $20; the company also announced some retail layoffs earlier this month.