Investing.com -- Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) plans to hire more than 300,000 workers across its U.S. core operations network for the upcoming holiday season, representing a 20% increase over last year's seasonal recruitment. The aggressive expansion stands in stark contrast to broader macroeconomic trends, where overall retail hiring is expected to soften to its lowest level since 2008.

The e-commerce giant is ramping up its logistical workforce by offering starting wages averaging $20 per hour for seasonal workers, while full-time core operations staff now average nearly $24 per hour. To bolster retention amid tighter labor dynamics, the Seattle-based company is expanding healthcare benefits to seasonal employees working at least 30 hours per week starting January 1, 2027, with plans starting at $5 per week.

Against a backdrop where third-party projections from Challenger, Gray & Christmas signal total U.S. holiday recruitment falling below 450,000 jobs, Amazon’s counter-cyclical hiring highlights its growing market share and fulfillment demands. The company recently committed more than $1.5 billion toward wage increases for its core U.S. operations workforce, bringing average total compensation for full-time employees, including benefits, to over $32 per hour.

In addition to base pay, Amazon is leveraging enhanced perks to attract temporary labor, including uncapped discounts on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases alongside access to low-cost credit union services rolling out into 2027.

As new job postings roll out weekly through December, market watchers will be monitoring whether Amazon's heavy operational investments and expanded benefits package can effectively shield its supply chain from labor bottlenecks during peak demand. The company's massive labor pull underscores its willingness to absorb near-term compensation costs to secure operational efficiency and dominant market execution through the quarter.

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