Amazon is preparing for the upcoming holiday season by hiring over 300,000 seasonal workers in the United States. This figure represents a 20% increase compared to the 250,000 employees recruited during the previous year. The new roles will span warehouse and delivery operations, offering options for full-time, part-time, and temporary positions.
The company has set the average hourly wage for seasonal staff at $20. For permanent operational employees, the starting rate is also $20 per hour, with an average reaching $24. Seasonal workers who commit to at least 30 hours per week in January will become eligible for medical insurance plans starting at $5 per week, effective from January 1.
While Amazon expands its logistics workforce, the company continues to reduce its corporate headcount. Since October 2025, approximately 30,000 office staff have been laid off, with additional cuts confirmed in October 2026. Total corporate job losses since 2022 have exceeded 57,000 positions, even as Adobe forecasts holiday online spending to reach $275.1 billion.
The broader retail market shows a different trend. Challenger, Gray & Christmas projects that US retailers will create about 450,000 seasonal jobs, down from 461,500 the previous year. Meanwhile, UPS plans to hire over 100,000 temporary workers, maintaining its usual scale, while other major retailers like Walmart and Target have yet to announce their specific seasonal hiring plans.
