Amazon is once again beefing up its holiday workforce. The company announced plans on Monday to hire 250,000 workers for the upcoming rush, reports CBS News. This is the third consecutive year Amazon has added at least a quarter-million part-time and full-time employees to handle the surge in online shopping from October through December. The company said its seasonal positions pay an average of over $19 per hour, while regular full- and part-time workers earn about $23 per hour, plus benefits. The new jobs include a mix of warehouse and delivery positions, per Cox Media Group, with listings posted here.
Amazon's hiring spree stands out as the broader retail sector is scaling back. According to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the total number of seasonal jobs across all retailers is expected to drop to its lowest level since 2009. The firm cites higher business costs from US tariffs, continued inflation, and increased automation as key reasons for the decline. All told, retailers are expected to add fewer than 500,000 seasonal jobs this year, down from about 543,000 in 2024.