Amazon to invest $1 billion in employee pay, healthcare
Business
Amazon is rolling out a $1 billion plan to boost pay and make healthcare more affordable for its US warehouse and delivery teams.
Average hourly wages will rise to over $23, with long-term employees seeing bumps of $1.10-$1.90 per hour—adding up to about $1,600 more each year for full-timers.
Basic health plan costs will drop significantly
Starting next year, Amazon's basic health plan will cost just $5 a week (with $5 co-pays), making coverage much cheaper—contributions drop by 34% and co-pays by 87%.
These moves come after recent labor strikes and safety agreements in late 2024, plus similar pay raises at Walmart in January 2024, showing a bigger shift toward better pay and benefits across the industry.