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Amazon plans to hire 300,000 U.S. workers for the 2026 holiday season
In brief
Amazon said on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that it plans to hire more than 300,000 seasonal, part-time and full-time workers across its U.S. operations for the holiday season. That is about 20% more than last year and, according to Reuters, the company's first increase in holiday hiring in three years after it held the target at 250,000.
Pay and benefits
Amazon says seasonal workers will earn an average of $20 an hour. Full-time operations staff start at a minimum of $20 an hour, and average pay across the operations workforce is close to $24 after a raise announced in September. The company also said that from January 1, 2027, seasonal employees who work at least 30 hours a week will get the same health-care benefits as full-time staff from their first day. GeekWire noted that the change does not cover this peak season, but holiday hires still in qualifying roles on January 1 will be covered from that date. CBS News reported that job listings will be posted weekly through December.
A different direction from the rest of retail
The National Retail Federation expects U.S. holiday sales to top $1 trillion for the first time this year. Even so, GeekWire reported that retailers as a group added the fewest seasonal workers since 2008 last year, and that outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas expects even fewer this year. An Amazon spokesperson linked the bigger target partly to new sites opening across its network.
VSH take: if you are thinking about a holiday job, compare the offers on what you will actually take home, not only the hourly rate. Our salary calculator turns an hourly wage into weekly and yearly pay, the hours calculator adds up mixed shifts, and the U.S. income tax calculator gives a rough idea of the tax on extra seasonal income.
This is our own summary of public announcements and reporting. ViralScopeHub is not affiliated with Amazon, does not recruit for it, and this is general information, not career or tax advice. Pay varies by location and role.
Why it matters
Holiday jobs are a big source of extra income for students and families, and Amazon's pay and benefit changes put pressure on other employers competing for the same workers.
People also ask
How many holiday workers is Amazon hiring in 2026?
More than 300,000 seasonal, part-time and full-time workers across the U.S., about 20% more than last year.
How much do Amazon seasonal workers earn?
Amazon says seasonal workers earn an average of $20 an hour. Exact pay depends on location and role.
Do Amazon seasonal workers get health benefits?
From January 1, 2027, seasonal employees working at least 30 hours a week will get the same health benefits as full-time staff from day one, Amazon said.
Related free tools: Salary & Hourly Wage Calculator, Hours Calculator, US Federal Income Tax Calculator
Sources
- Amazon: Amazon is creating 300,000+ US seasonal jobs with higher pay, expanded benefits
- CBS News: Amazon says it will hire 300,000 workers for seasonal jobs this year
- GeekWire: Amazon plans record 300k holiday hires as the rest of retail pulls back
Every ViralScopeHub news item is an original summary written in our own words. We link to the original reporting so you can read the full story from the publisher.
