Amazon, one of the largest employers in Connecticut, announced Tuesday that it plans to hire for 3,500 seasonal jobs in the state.
The recruitment in Connecticut is part of the e-commerce giant’s goal of hiring 250,000 employees nationwide for this year’s holiday season. The new hires will work in the company's distribution network, which includes fulfillment and sorting centers, as well as delivery stations.
“As we create 3,500 seasonal positions and continue to raise wages across our operations, we're not only strengthening local economies but also improving the shopping experience for customers throughout Connecticut while supporting the independent sellers who call this state home,” Glendowlyn Thames, Amazon’s head of Connecticut economic development, said in a written statement.
Average wages for the seasonal positions, which will include full-time and part-time jobs, will exceed $19 per hour, according to Amazon officials.
More For You
Interested candidates can visit amazon.com/localjobs for weekly job postings through December, the company said.
In their announcement of the seasonal hiring, Amazon officials also touted the company’s employee benefits, which include health care plans starting at $5 per week, with $5 doctor-visit co-pays; paid parental leave; and a program that pre-pays tuition at the University of Connecticut, Southern Connecticut State University and the CT State community college system.
Amazon’s presence in Connecticut has grown markedly since opening in 2015 its first fulfillment and sorting centers in the state — in Windsor and Wallingford, respectively. Today, the company has six fulfillment and sorting centers, as well as 10 delivery stations across the state. In addition, it has Whole Foods Market stores in Avon, Danbury, Darien, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Greenwich, Milford, Stamford, South Windsor, Westport and West Hartford.
As of August, Amazon had about 17,000 employees in Connecticut. In addition, the company said that its operations indirectly support about 8,500 indirect jobs in industries including construction, logistics and professional services.
Factoring in employee compensation and infrastructure, Amazon has invested about $11.5 billion in Connecticut since 2010, according to company data.
The Seattle-headquartered has about 1 million employees in the U.S. In the private sector, it is surpassed only by Walmart, which has a domestic workforce of about 1.6 million people.
Given its massive workforce, Amazon’s labor practices attract scrutiny. Among those watching in Connecticut is Sen. Richard Blumenthal. He said last year that his office had received a number of complaints from Amazon workers, with their reported issues including quota systems for worker productivity, the denial of breaks and bathroom visits, as well as the company’s use of “AI-powered” surveillance cameras.
Amazon officials maintain that the company is operating safe and fair workplaces.
“It’s a common misperception that employees cannot take breaks when they need them, but that’s false,” Amazon spokesman Mike Murphy said last year. “Employees can take breaks any time to meet with a manager or HR, use the restroom or grab a drink of water. These informal breaks are in addition to employees’ two regularly scheduled breaks and their lunch break. We comply with applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which we operate — including those related to employment decisions, employee break periods, technology use and any others that pertain to our workplace.”
Paul Schott is a business reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group, writing about the issues affecting small- and medium-sized businesses and large corporations based in Connecticut. He previously covered education for Greenwich Time and general assignments for the Westport News. Paul welcomes readers' ideas and suggestions and strives to cultivate a robust dialogue with Hearst Connecticut Media's audience.