Amazon’s Holiday Hiring SHOCK

Photo: Sergio Photone / Shutterstock

Amazon says it will put more than 300,000 people to work across the country this holiday season, the biggest seasonal hiring push in the company’s history.

Quick Take

Amazon plans to hire over 300,000 seasonal, part-time, and full-time workers nationwide, a 20% jump from last year.r
Qualifying seasonal employees get healthcare starting at $5 a week with $5 copays beginning January 1, 2027
Seasonal workers earn an average of $20 an hour, with new job postings going up weekly through December.
The surge stands out because many other retailers are forecast to shrink their holiday staffing this year.

Amazon’s Hiring Blitz Breaks Its Own Record

Amazon announced that it was hiring more than 300,000 people for seasonal, part-time, and full-time roles across its core United States operations network. The company called it its largest holiday hiring effort ever. CBS News and other outlets independently confirmed the number, noting it marks a 20% increase over last year’s holiday hiring total.

The jobs stretch across warehouses, delivery stations, and sortation centers nationwide. Amazon said it would post new openings every week from October through December, giving job seekers fresh chances to apply right up to the Christmas rush peak.

Seasonal workers will earn an average of $20 an hour, according to Amazon’s own figures. That pay rate makes the company a bright spot in what analysts describe as an otherwise sluggish holiday jobs market this year.

Pay, Perks and a New Health Benefit

Amazon paired the hiring push with a healthcare expansion for seasonal staff. Workers who put in at least 30 hours a week can qualify for plans starting at $5 a week with $5 copays. Coverage begins January 1, 2027, for workers hired earlier, while anyone hired on or after that date gets coverage from day one.

J. Ofori Agboka, Amazon’s vice president of People Experience and Technology, said qualifying seasonal workers get access to healthcare no matter when they join. He pointed out that Amazon hires seasonal employees year-round, not just around the holidays.

Why Amazon Is Bucking the Retail Slowdown

Government data show the broader retail industry has been hiring fewer seasonal workers in recent years. Retail employment grew by about 494,000 jobs during the October-to-December buildup in 2023, down sharply from the 560,000 and 625,000 seasonal hires retailers added in 2018 and 2019 before the pandemic hit.

Amazon’s move runs counter to that trend. While many competitors trim holiday staffing plans, Amazon is expanding its workforce and sweetening benefits at the same time. The contrast highlights how much the company’s e-commerce operations now drive national seasonal employment numbers on their own.

What Happens After the Boxes Stop Shipping

Amazon has said that roughly one-third of its seasonal hires return to work for the company again in future years. That pattern suggests the holiday hiring program works as more than a one-time staffing fix. It functions as a steady pipeline feeding Amazon’s year-round workforce needs.

Amazon says it's hiring 300,000+ people across its US operations this holiday season, which Reuters calls its first hiring jump in three years. Seasonal workers average $20 an hour, and starting Jan 1, 2027, seasonal staff working 30+ hours a week get healthcare from day one,… https://t.co/8DcREWsLA3

— Lu*i (@shadownet1337) October 21, 2026

For American workers facing a tight job market, the combination of higher pay, immediate healthcare access, and weekly job postings gives families a real shot at steady income heading into winter. It also sets a benchmark other employers may feel pressure to match.