Amazon.com Inc. will pay front-line staff a special holiday bonus as the e-commerce giant responds to a surge in online sales during the coronavirus pandemic that is driving record results.
Full-time employees at Amazon from Dec. 1 through Dec. 31 qualify for a bonus of $300, while part-time employees will receive $150, Dave Clark, senior vice president of world-wide operations, said in a blog post. The special bonus will total more than $500 million, he said.
The company offered a similar bonus in June following strong demand from consumers stuck at home during coronavirus lockdowns.
Early in the pandemic, Amazon faced criticism from employees about its response to the virus. Workers at several facilities staged walkouts in the spring demanding that Amazon shut down facilities with positive coronavirus cases.
The company has taken actions to address worker safety, including requiring physical distancing and giving employees personal protective gear. In all, Amazon said, it had spent more than $7.5 billion in pandemic-related costs through Sept. 30.
