Amazon announced Monday it will hire thousands of workers across the U.S. – including 1,400 employees in Oklahoma – to meet the increased demand created by online shoppers caused by the spread of the COVID-19, the Coronavirus.
“We are opening 100,000 new full- and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centers and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon’s service during this stressful time,” Vice President of Worldwide Operations Dave Clark wrote Monday in a blog post.
The company will increase pay by $2 per hour worked “from our current rate of $15/hour or more, depending on the region,” Clark said. Wages will increase for employees in fulfillment centers, transportation operations, in stores or those making deliveries, he said. Amazon has a fulfillment center, a sortation center and a delivery center in Oklaho- ma City. The pay hike is expected to cost Amazon $350 million and will last through April, Clark said.
“We ... know many people have been economically impacted as jobs in areas like hospitality, restaurants, and travel are lost or furloughed as part of this crisis,” Clark wrote. “We want those people to know we welcome them on our teams until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back.”
Millions of people across the world, including Oklahoma, are teleworking from home, children throughout the state have been temporarily excused from schools, and senior citizens have been advised to remain indoors and avoid contact with potential coronavirus carriers.