Amazon.com to hire more than 50,000 extra workers for holidays

Amazon.com, the online retailer that has many brick-and-mortar companies on the defensive, said it will hire more than 50,000 seasonal employees nationwide for the holiday shopping season.

That’s more than double the 20,000 full-time workers that Amazon usually has manning its 40 fulfillment centers around the U.S.

But with a surge of Christmas orders expected in the next few months, the hiring push is a necessary step, said Dave Clark, vice president of global customer fulfillment for Amazon.

And a bonus: Many of the seasonal employees may end up joining the permanent Amazon workforce, in which many are paid 30% more than traditional retail workers, the company said.

“Temporary associates play a critical role in meeting increased customer demand during the holiday season, and we expect thousands of temporary associates will stay on in full-time positions,� Clark said in a statement.

Each year, retailers boost their ranks to handle the swell in demand from shoppers who swarm into aisles on Black Friday and stay through Christmas.

Macy’s said it will enlist 80,000 seasonal workers, up 2.5% from last year. Wal-Mart will pick up 50,000 associates. Target will hire up to 90,000 while Kohl’s said its temporary holiday workforce will boom 10% from last year to 52,700 workers.

Overall, the National Retail Federation estimates that American retailers will hire up to 625,000 temporary employees for the holidays.

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