Amazon boosts average starting pay to $18 an hour for 125,000 new hires
CBSN
Amazon said on Tuesday it is boosting its average starting wage to $18 an hour for 125,000 new hires in the U.S., with the jobs focused in transportation and fulfillment. Some locations are also offering sign-on bonuses of up to $3,000.
The new jobs may pay up to $22.50 an hour in some locations, Amazon said. The roles also provide full-time workers with health, vision and dental insurance, as well as a 401(k) and up to 20 weeks paid parental leave. The retailer earlier this month said it will pay full college tuition for its 750,000 U.S. hourly employees starting in January.
The wage hike comes amid struggles by many employers to hire new workers across the nation due to labor shortages caused by the pandemic. Some businesses have blamed COVID-19 unemployment benefits for the dearth of qualified workers, but millions of workers say they continue to sit on the sidelines because of virus fears, as well as a shortage of child care and remote school for younger children.
