Amazon To Hire Another 75,000 Workers As It Looks To Restart Non-Essential Shipments

Amazon.com Inc. AMZN is looking to hire another 75,000 workers across delivery and warehouses as it seeks to meet the increased demand for e-commerce during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

What Happened

The Seattle-based company said it had already added 100,000 workers over the last month, as it pledged in March.

"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,]" the e-commerce giant said in a statement.

"[We] welcome anyone out of work to join us at Amazon until their past employer can bring them back."

The widespread lockdowns imposed by authorities across the United States have significantly impacted businesses in the travel, hospitality, and leisure industries. Instead, at-home service providers have benefited from the pandemic.

Amazon said it had increased its commitment to raise wages from the previously announced $350 million to $500 million.

Why It Matters

The move comes as Amazon restarts the delivery of products deemed "non-essential" during the pandemic.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, the company's inventory will start stocking items from third-party sellers later this week, beyond healthcare, shelf-stable food, and cleaning products.

Initially, the sellers are only being asked to send a few items to not overwhelm the inventories, where the focus remains on essential items needed during the pandemic, the Journal noted.

"Later this week, we will allow more products into our fulfillment centers," an Amazon spokesperson told the Journal. "Products will be limited by quantity to enable us to continue prioritizing products and protecting employees, while also ensuring most selling partners can ship goods into our facilities."

Price Action

Amazon shares closed 6.2% higher at $2,168.87 on Monday and added another 0.74% in the after-hours session at $2,184.90.