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Looking for work? Amazon could provide a happy holiday

 
Amazon employees pick, pack and ship orders at the million-square-foot distribution center in Ruskin. JAMES BORCHUK/Times
Amazon employees pick, pack and ship orders at the million-square-foot distribution center in Ruskin. JAMES BORCHUK/Times
Published Oct. 13, 2016

Amazon will hire 120,000 people for seasonal positions across its U.S. network of distribution centers, sorting centers and customer service sites this holiday season, the Seattle-based online retailer has announced.

The company said that last year, more than 14,000 seasonal positions transitioned into regular, full-time roles after the holidays, and it expects to increase that number this year.

An Amazon spokeswoman wasn't specific, but said the company would hire "thousands" of seasonal workers in Florida, including at its massive distribution centers in Lakeland and Ruskin, where Amazon employs more than 3,000 people full time. The Lakeland center fulfills orders for larger items such as televisions and kayaks; the Ruskin center handles smaller items such as toys and books. Both are 1-million-square-foot structures with the floor space of roughly 28 football fields.

Amazon also has facilities in Davenport, Orlando and Miami, and the company announced in July it would build another distribution center in Jacksonville.

"This is our favorite time of year. We love serving customers during the holiday season and we're excited to bring on more than 120,000 seasonal employees this year to support growing customer demand," said Mike Roth, Amazon's vice president of global customer fulfillment, in an announcement.

In addition to Florida, the company is hiring in 26 other states.

Throughout the year, nearly 90 percent of employees in Amazon's fulfillment network are full-time employees. They earn about $11 an hour to start and are eligible for benefits including health insurance, a 401(k) program with 50 percent company match, bonuses and stock rewards, and tuition reimbursement.

Contact Jerome R. Stockfisch at jstockfisch@tampabay.com.