Amazon.com Inc, the leading e-commerce giant recently announced plans to hire an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the U.S. as millions of consumers swarm toward online order deliveries for their needs amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

While shoppers are busy clearing out stores of essential products in fear of shortages or quarantines, retailers are trying their best to keep hygiene-related items and consumables in stock. In addition, retailers are adding up employees for in-store work as well as delivery.

Reportedly, United States’ supermarket chains Kroger, Raley’s and Albertsons have also added new employees to staff for busy sections as well as to cater to online orders. These retail giants are turning to people in the travel & entertainment and hospitality businesses who are suffering sudden lay off from work because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Amazon reportedly said in a blog post that the company want people to know they will be welcomed to the Amazon family until things get back to normal and their past employers are able to take them back to their jobs.

United Parcel Services, leading logistics company was reported to state that it is still running its trucking and air deliveries are also on regardless of growing restrictions imposed on commercial activities.

The coronavirus out leash, which has led to deaths of more than 7,100 people across the world and prompted mass lockdown, has also led to items being out of stock on online retailers including Amazon. Some of the deliveries are taking much longer than usual.

To attract new employees, Amazon has said that it would add USD 2 to its minimum USD 15 per hour wage for its workers in the U.S. through April. The extra wage for hourly employees in Europe and North America is likely to cost more than USD 350 million, Amazon claims.

Source Credit: https://in.reuters.com/article/us-healthcare-coronavirus-amazon-com/amazon-to-hire-100000-workers-as-online-orders-surge-on-coronavirus-worries-idINKBN2133LB