Amazon will pay $500 million in bonuses to frontline workers and delivery partners confronting risks and high demand during the pandemic. Dave Clark, head of Amazon’s worldwide operations business, announced the bonuses Monday in a blog post.
The payout comes amid intense pressure on Amazon to mitigate the risks its warehouse employees and other frontline workers are facing due to the coronavirus. The payments will go to members of Amazon’s logistics network who worked with the company during the month of June.
Bonuses will be awarded on the following tiered scale, according to Clark:
- $500 for full-time Amazon employees, Whole Foods Market employees, and Delivery Service Partner drivers
- $250 for part-time Amazon employees, Whole Foods Market employees, and Delivery Service Partner drivers
- $1,000 for all front-line Amazon and Whole Foods Market leaders
- $3,000 for our Delivery Service Partner owners
- $150 for each Amazon Flex driver with more than 10 hours in June
The bonuses come after Amazon ended hazard pay for warehouse and delivery workers confronting the coronavirus crisis in June. At the outset of the pandemic, Amazon hiked hourly pay for those workers by $2 an hour and doubled overtime pay. The company extended the pay increases twice, through April and May.
Amazon says it is spending about $4 billion on expenses related to the pandemic, including pay increases and safety measures to protect employees. Amazon has implemented temperature screening, mask mandates, and more than 150 other process changes in response to the crisis, according to the company.
