Amazon plans to hire 250,000 warehouse workers for holiday season

Amazon plans to hire 250,000 seasonal employees to staff its U.S. warehouses and fulfillment network for the holiday season.

That increase matches its national holiday hiring spree last year, though it falls short in Washington. Last year, Amazon hired 250,000 workers nationally to prepare for the holidays. The year before that, Amazon hired only 150,000 workers.

Of the 5,000 workers Amazon expects to hire in Washington, 4,000 will be in Seattle, Bellevue and Tacoma.

This year's holiday hires can make an average of $18 per hour, Amazon said in its announcement.

Seasonal employees who stay with the company can see a 15% wage increase over their first three years, Amazon said. Nearly one-third of employees who take jobs at Amazon facilities during the holidays later return, the company added.

Amazon is staffing up and raising wages as it ...