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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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amazon2.jpg
Amazon.com says it's hiring 50,000 temporary workers across the United States this holiday season. (AP Photo)

Need a job? Amazon is hiring 50,000 for the holidays

October 16, 2012 @ 3:39 am (Updated: 8:45 am - 10/16/12 )

More people must have been nice than naughty this year, because Amazon.com is hiring 50,000 workers for the holiday season.

Amazon,with its headquarters in Seattle, says it expects "thousands" of those it hires to stay on full time.

Full-time workers get stock grants and benefits. The company says its full-time employees make 30 percent more than traditional retail employees. It says stock grants have added an average 9 percent to base pay over the last five years.

Amazon's announcement follows hiring announcements from major retailers. Macy's plans to hire 80,000 seasonal workers, while Wal-Mart Stores will hire 50,000, and Target could add up to 90,000 temporary jobs. Toys R Us, which has had financial problems and closed a number of stores, plans to hire 45,000 seasonal workers this year.

By LINDA THOMAS, Here's hoping a temporary job turns into full-time work, if that's what you need.

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (29)


  • Add A Comment

  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    Underemployment
    October 16, 2012 5:36 am
    A "job"? This sounds like underemployment, temporary employment and work outside their career field for most people. Not the best "solution" if you're looking for a real job.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Estimate of 450,000 seasonal jobs this year
    October 16, 2012 5:38 am
    Obama will claim total recovery.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DesertRez wrote...
    It's better
    October 16, 2012 7:11 am
    than sitting around on unemployment!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sambra27 wrote...
    @ DesertRez
    October 16, 2012 8:35 am

    THANK YOU! Seriously, people need to take what they can get in this economy.

    It will be a temporary solution for most people, sure, but how about those people that have STOPPED looking for work altogether because of the economy jump on opportunities like this. I'm certain they will like making money better than not making money.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    Yep, I will go after it
    October 16, 2012 7:24 pm
    I remember at 1980, after college, no company was hiring. Now, at 58 years of age, same thing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    One would assume
    October 16, 2012 7:57 am
    that with all this hiring they're expecting an increase in spending from consumers. Maybe I'm in the minority but I'm not spending anywhere near what I've done in the past. The fiscal cliff is coming and that's a Christmas present that will even impact those non-believers.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Fuego
    October 16, 2012 9:45 am
    Yes you are certainly part of a small minority.Amazon is NOT hiring 150,000 people to sit around doing nothing.Your making your choice based on Ignorance Amazon is hiring based on knowledge.If inflation is in our future then your better off BUYING today after all what good is it to sit on money that is losing value?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Not 150K
    October 16, 2012 9:47 am
    50K, Sin loi
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pawnbroker1 wrote...
    How do I find these jobs?
    October 16, 2012 10:06 am
    Might have been nice if Linda had included a link or two. I have lots of customers and acquaintances that could use this information. Where will these jobs be? I see one opening in Olympia, and one in Sumner on their site. When will they be hiring?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kata wrote...
    @PB : amazonfulfillmentcareers.com
    October 16, 2012 10:20 am
    My holiday budget hasn't budged in years. I guess the salient question would be - what is their normal hiring numbers for this year and is 50K considered average, better than average...?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    kata...
    October 16, 2012 11:03 am
    That would be like doing real journalism, and we all know that real journalism died a long time ago in the main stream. Don't ask a "news" agency to provide real statistics and numbers. They will only provide a portion of the story, usually the portion that tries to make their Fascist partners in politics look better.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    CldWtrSrf
    October 16, 2012 1:41 pm
    Actually, Linda is the only journalist at MYNW, although I bet even she will not report on the breaking news that Honey Boo Boo has come out and endorsed Obama...now there's a young girl who knows which side of the government handsouts is buttered and by whom.

    I wouldn't be surprised to see her follow up in checking into kata's solid questions.

    Bottom line though, we all know Obama will tout 50k temp jobs as a sign of an economy bursting with success...what a fraud.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    October 16, 2012 2:58 pm
    Why would companies like Amazon add 10s of1000s of employees if they did not expect people to be buying stuff?That should send even a dunce like you a signal that Business believes the econopmy is getting better.And Obama wouldn't be much of a politician if he did not call attention to this FACT
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    October 16, 2012 3:06 pm
    Well, we now know the opposite of rational...it's messiah101. I didn't say anything about Amazon not making sales...how you arrived at that conclusion has more to do with the color in the sky of your pretend world than anything I've written.

    kata asked if the 50k is any different than previous years, which seems like a good place to begin. Is it actually less than amazon hires at this time? Perhaps even you could see how the answers to those initial questions could impact your desire to claim a bursting economy.

    Listen, by the end of January these folks are going to be out of work again...so it's no sign of some great recovery under the supurb leadership of Obama...it's a seasonal hire that has more to do with Jesus..literally (Christmas, remember that holiday?) than it does to Obama.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    October 16, 2012 5:42 pm
    You seem incapable of making the connection between Amazon wanting to hire 50,000 workers and the reason why they need that huge amount of workers.As I stated before they are not hiring these folks to sit on their hands they hired them because they believe the volume of customers will require the extra workers Do you think that they simply pulled that 50,000 out of thin air or do you believe some thought and study was put into the decision?.They figure that folks have money and they are going to be spending it
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    October 16, 2012 8:00 pm
    Typical liberal...you don't understand something so you assume the fault is someone else's. I full well understand why a business would hire temp employees. I looked it up since it wasn't addressed in the OP...this 50k is a "slight" increase over 2011 hires...so this is no indication of some booming economy, sorry to burst your bubble. And come January very few of these folks will still have a job. So while it's good that these folks have an opportunity to earn a little money this is not an indication that Obama has turned the economy around no matter how much you'd love to convince people to believe that.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    October 16, 2012 8:54 pm
    Actually Amazon is hiring almost 35000 MORE temp workers this year then 2011. THATs HUGE,source is www.diversifiedmanagement.You should be standing and applauding at that news
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    October 16, 2012 9:10 pm
    You didn't provide a link to check. Here is a link from the right wing...oh, that's right, left wing website Huff post I was citing (well, I was citing the reuters source, actually)...

    Amazon did not say how many seasonal workers it hired for the 2011 holiday season, but said the plan to hire more than 50,000 is up slightly from last year.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/16/amazon-jobs_n_1969044.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    October 17, 2012 4:19 pm
    Yes I did www.diversifiedmanagement
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • forbes wrote...
    Amazon hiring
    October 16, 2012 4:43 pm
    The never ending whining about job recovery always comes from people who don't want to work no matter what the position. These are free loaders who probably are receiving Govt.benefits, all the while wringing their hands about the prospect of being under employed or some other excuse. Career loafers who really never want a "solution" is an accurate description of this group.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • GDHubly wrote...
    Carrots
    October 16, 2012 4:44 pm
    Why no mention of part time pay and/or benefits? Carrots.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    rational breaking news who's a fraud
    October 17, 2012 5:25 am
    Romney said he had to look for women to see if could fill same jobs as men? Puzzling BECAUSE the question was "DO WOMEN DESERVE THE SAME PAY AS MEN" Romney thought pattern clearly has inherited challenges with equal pay for women
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    hpitantso
    October 17, 2012 5:59 pm
    Are you really concerned about equal pay for women? Then what do you do with Obama who pays women 18% less than men? One might say hypocrite...or typical progressive...your choice.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    October 17, 2012 6:27 pm
    Your saying that Obama pays women doing the same job as men 18% LESS?I believe people that work for the White House are civil service and they are paid at the rate the GSA gives their job.Prove me wrong
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    October 17, 2012 6:42 pm
    So your argument is the GSA has rules to pay women 18% less for the same job? That's not even a good effort at spin...you can do better...take another swig of Obama flavored kool aid and try again.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    October 17, 2012 7:15 pm
    Prove me wrong
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    October 17, 2012 10:39 pm
    Prove me wrong

    You're the one asserting that the GSA has specific policies that compel Obama to underpay women. Good grief...is there any doubt that liberalism is a mental illness?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    Rational my concern is
    October 17, 2012 10:02 pm
    " Romney thought pattern clearly has inherited challenges with equal pay for women unless they come from a binder.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    hpitantso
    October 17, 2012 10:38 pm
    You can't possibly be serious.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }