Amazon doubles Texas holiday workforce from last year

Amazon is ramping up its workforce for the holiday season, with plans to hire 13,000 workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and a staggering 250,000 across the entire United States. Notably, this includes doubling their workforce in Texas compared to last year's holiday season.

Within Texas, Amazon's recruitment drive will encompass 28,000 positions, ranging from full-time and seasonal to part-time roles, which may lead to permanent employment opportunities. The e-commerce giant has also committed to raising wages for seasonal positions. On average, Amazon's customer fulfillment and transportation employees can now expect to earn more than $20.50 per hour, a significant increase from last year's $19 hourly rate. Some roles will even offer compensation as high as $28 per hour, dependent on the specific location. John Felton, Amazon's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations, emphasized that "a fulfillment or transportation employee who starts with us today will see a 13% increase in pay over the next three years and likely more." These seasonal roles encompass tasks such as stowing, picking, sorting, and shipping customer orders, and job listings and locations are available on Amazon's official application portal. However, it's worth noting that the increased labor costs may potentially result in a reduced number of seasonal positions available this year, according to outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Last year, holiday hiring figures reached 509,300, a significant decline from the 701,400 positions added during the preceding holiday season in 2021. This marked the lowest level of holiday hiring since 2009, during the Great Recession when retailers added 495,800 seasonal positions. In contrast, Target intends to hire nearly 100,000 seasonal workers this year and extend extra hours to 45,000 existing employees. Meanwhile, Macy's plans to employ 38,000 individuals for both full and part-time seasonal positions. The holiday season is getting an early start, with Amazon hosting a fall Prime Day event on October 10-11, offering new Prime subscribers a 30-day free trial. Other retailers are following suit with their own discounts. Walmart, for example, will kick off its season of deals starting on October 9 and continuing through October 12, featuring products like the Mega Barbie The Movie Dreamhouse and a Sony 75-inch Bravia television at discounted prices. Amazon, headquartered in Seattle, boasts 88,000 workers in Texas and indirectly supports around 166,000 jobs in related industries such as construction and professional services. These activities contribute significantly to the Texas GDP, amounting to $59.7 billion. Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $54.1 billion in Texas, encompassing infrastructure development and employee compensation.