Amazon to give $500 million in holiday bonuses to front-line US workers

Amazon said on Thursday it would spend more than $500 million on one-time bonuses for its front-line employees in the United States who are working the holiday season amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Full-time operations staff in the United States who are employed by Amazon from December 1 to December 31 will receive a bonus of $300, while those in part-time roles will get $150, the online retailer said here in a blog post.

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Several retailers, including Walmart and Home Depot, have spent millions in bonuses to compensate staff for catering to a surge in online shopping during the pandemic.

In an earlier round of one-time bonuses in June, Amazon spent $500 million in one-time payments to front-line employees and partners.

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The world’s largest online retailer has been facing intense scrutiny from US lawmakers and unions over whether it is doing enough to protect staff from the coronavirus.