Amazon on Thursday said it is offering permanent jobs to 125,000 of the temporary workers hired to handle surging use of its online shopping service due to the pandemic.
Amazon expanded its workforce with 175,000 new positions in March as restrictions on movements shuttered real-world shops and had people staying home to avoid the virus.
"Like other companies, we hired these individuals for seasonal roles to meet a surge in demand and, for many, there was the hope of returning back to their previous companies once states began to reopen," Amazon said in a blog post.
"As the long-term picture becomes more clear, we're providing the opportunity for 125,000 of those who came on with us seasonally to stay with Amazon and transition into a regular, full-time role beginning in June." The move comes Amazon's role growing in delivering goods for consumers facing lockdowns and restrictions around the world, through its e-commerce platform as well as its grocery operations.