Amazon to hire 100,000 seasonal workers as demand is expected to soar

The company said it promoted 35,000 operations employees in 2020.

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A worker processes Amazon products as the company adds more staff due to growing demand

Image source: Amazon

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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

With the coronavirus pandemic creating a swell in online shopping demand, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) continues to add employees as it anticipates another demand surge for the holidays. Early in the pandemic, the company added 100,000 new full- and part-time workers. 

The company says it has promoted more than 35,000 operations workers across North America this year, and now will add another 100,000 seasonal workers in anticipation of the holiday crunch.

Amazon's vice president of global customer fulfillment, Alicia Boler Davis, said in a statement that many of the 35,000 newly promoted workers joined the company through seasonal hirings, similar to the one announced today. 

The company said the new jobs would focus on "stowing, picking, packing, shipping, and delivering customer orders", but will also include a variety of other positions needed for IT, human resources, safety, and operating robotics. Amazon pays its workers a minimum of $15 per hour, and said many of the new job locations included holiday bonus incentives. 

Last month, Amazon said it was adding another round of 100,000 full- and part- time positions in the US and Canada as it opened new warehouse facilities, bringing its total global workforce to approximately 1 million. 

The boost in online shopping has been reflected in Amazon's financial results. For its second quarter ended 30 June 2020, net sales grew to $89 billion, up 40% compared to the prior year period. When the company reports third-quarter results tomorrow, it said it expected sales to be up between 24% and 33% compared to 2019. Any boost from the company's Prime Day sales event that occurred this month won't be seen in its financial reports until fourth-quarter results are announced. 

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Howard Smith owns shares of Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Amazon and recommends the following options: short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon and long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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