Amazon is hiring 300,000 US operations workers for the holiday season
Amazon is hiring 300,000 seasonal and full-time operations workers with day-one healthcare benefits for those working 30 hours a week.
Hiring · Source: Fox Business
What happened
Amazon announced plans to hire more than 300,000 workers across the United States for the holiday season. The company is filling seasonal, part-time, and full-time roles in its core operations network. Job openings will be posted weekly from October through December. This marks Amazon's first increase in holiday recruitment in three years.
Pay for these roles is competitive for the logistics sector. Seasonal employees will earn an average of $20 an hour. Full-time operations workers will start at a minimum of $20 an hour. The company recently invested more than $1.5 billion in additional pay for its core operations workforce, bringing the average hourly pay across this group to nearly $24 before benefits.
Amazon is also expanding its healthcare benefits. Starting January 1, 2027, seasonal employees working at least 30 hours a week will get healthcare coverage on their first day of employment. These plans start at $5 a week with $5 copays. Seasonal workers hired before January will get access to this coverage when the new rule takes effect.
By the numbers
- 300,000 — Number of US workers Amazon plans to hire for the holidays
- $20 — Average hourly pay for seasonal employees and minimum for full-time
- $24 — Average hourly pay across Amazon's core operations workforce
- $5 — Starting weekly cost for new seasonal healthcare plans
- 100,000 — Number of seasonal employees UPS plans to hire
Why it matters
This hiring surge offers immediate income for people who need work right now. The roles are in operations, not corporate offices, meaning they involve physical work like packing, sorting, and shipping. However, the addition of day-one healthcare for seasonal workers working 30 hours a week makes these temporary jobs much more stable. Amazon also noted that seasonal employees have the opportunity to transition into full-time roles after the holidays.
This move shows strong demand for logistics workers even as white-collar tech hiring remains slow. Other companies are making similar moves to meet holiday demand. For example, UPS plans to hire 100,000 seasonal employees across the country. The competition for warehouse labor is pushing companies to offer better pay and faster access to essential benefits.
Who this hits
Laid-off tech workers
These are operations and warehouse roles, not software engineering or corporate management jobs. However, they offer a temporary way to earn a steady income and secure health insurance while you continue your professional job search.
International students on visas
These warehouse roles generally do not qualify for OPT or STEM OPT work authorization, as they are not directly related to specialized degree fields. International students should consult their designated school official before applying to avoid visa violations.
Job seekers needing immediate benefits
The new healthcare policy is a major shift for temporary workers in the logistics sector. Anyone willing to work at least 30 hours a week can access medical coverage starting on their very first day of employment.
What to do this week
- Check Amazon's hiring website weekly between October and December, as the company states new batches of jobs will be posted regularly.
- Verify the expected weekly hours for any seasonal role you apply for to ensure you meet the 30-hour minimum required for the new healthcare benefits.
- Explore opportunities at other logistics companies like UPS, which is also hiring 100,000 seasonal workers, if Amazon does not have open roles in your local area.
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My take
While we see headlines about corporate layoffs, the physical side of e-commerce is hiring aggressively. Artificial intelligence and robots still need hundreds of thousands of humans to run these warehouses. If you need a bridge job with health benefits, this is a practical option.