Amazon lures workers with $100 vaccination bonus and pay hikes amid worker shortage
The jobs are for delivery and warehouse workers, who pack and ship online orders. Amazon, which already pays at least $15 an hour, gave out raises for some of its workers last month, and the company said Thursday that new hires will make an average of $17 an hour.
Amazon is looking to expand its hiring agenda to include roles for 75,000 people in a restricted job market, offering additional attractive bonuses like $100 for new hires who are already vaccinated for COVID-19.
The jobs are for delivery and warehouse workers where the requirement for manpower has seen an uptick owing to the increase in online purchasing behaviour. Amazon currently pays its workers a minimum of $15 an hour and this is expected to rise for new hires who will average $17 an hour.
The Hiring trend is also a part of the company's preparation for Prime Day which has become one of the biggest shopping days in the year for Amazon
The restricted job market in the United States is due to a labour shortage. Many fear contracting the virus, while some state child care issues and others feel businesses don't pay enough to go beyond the extra $300-a-week federal unemployment benefit. Sign-in bonuses, vaccination bonuses and pay hike are the incentive measures to lure workers back.
An increase in job openings is seen in states like Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin.
