Amazon to give $500 million in holiday bonuses to front-line U.S. workers

Amazon.com Inc said on Thursday it would spend more than $500 million (374.5 million pounds) on one-time bonuses for its front-line employees in the United States who are working the holiday season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Full-time operations staff in the United States who are employed by Amazon from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31 will receive a bonus of $300, while those in part-time roles will get $150, the online retailer said in a blog post.

Several retailers, including Walmart Inc and Home Depot Inc, have spent millions in bonuses to compensate staff for catering to a surge in online shopping during the pandemic.

In an earlier round of one-time bonuses in June, Amazon spent $500 million in one-time payments to front-line employees and partners.

The world's largest online retailer has been facing intense scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and unions over whether it is doing enough to protect staff from the coronavirus.