Amazon announces 30,000 part-time jobs across the US, offers access to benefits

Amazon announced that it will provide over 30,000 part-time jobs across the United States next year, including home-based jobs. The company is looking to hire 25,000 people for warehouse work and 5,000 in virtual customer service.

The customer service program announced by the company Thursday allows employees to work as a customer service agent at home. Customer service and part-time employees at Amazon who render at least 20 hours per week can access benefits such as life, disability, dental and vision insurance. Additionally, Amazon employees will have access to the company’s Career Choice program, a program that pre-pays 95 percent of tuition for courses related to various fields, even those areas are not relevant to jobs at Amazon.

Tom Weiland, Amazon Vice President for Worldwide Customer Service, said there are many people who want or need a flexible job and they are happy to empower people no matter where they happen to live, Business Wire reported. The news about the virtual and part-time nationwide jobs comes as the company builds two fulfilment centres in Jacksonville. One of these fulfilment centres is located at the Cecil Commerce Center on the Westside. The other one is currently under construction on the Northside.

Weiland said virtual customer service jobs are particularly attractive to military spouses because it gives them the chance to deal with parenting and work at the same time regardless if their husbands are relocated. “Wounded, injured or ill military veterans and others with mobility challenges are also enjoying these opportunities to work from home with Amazon,” he assured.

Sabrina Tierce, a virtual customer service employee at Amazon, relocated from California to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State six years ago when her husband was appointed as an Army medic. She said it feels amazing to have a job that gives her the flexibility to care for her child and even move around the country.

The two fulfilment centres are expected to bring Amazon’s announced footprint in Jacksonville to roughly 2,500 jobs. Currently, the company has nearly 40,000 part-time employees across the country.

Kylee Durant, USO Vice President for Transition Technology and Innovation Programs, said Amazon’s commitment in taking a step in employing military spouses shows that they understand the challenges that the community is dealing with and that it can be contribute to providing a solution. “To have an innovator like Amazon recognize the need, the deep need- that military spouses have for employment says to me they are a catalyst for greater societal change in this country,” she said.