These Major U.S. Companies Are Hiring Right Now–And Many Have Increased Pay
Since quarantine officially began in March, over 44 million people have applied for unemployment benefits. One and a half million Americans filed for unemployment at the beginning of June. But while several companies are firing employees, many other businesses are hiring.
Some of the largest U.S. chains are hiring workers by the thousands. Many have offered pay raises to their new and current employees. If you want to learn which companies are hiring and which businesses put safety and health first, keep reading.
7-Eleven Needs Over 20,000 New Employees For Deliveries
As essential stores update their safety protocols, they require more workers to ensure public safety. In May 2020, 7-Eleven announced 20,000+ new positions because of the increased demand. Depending on the state and position, 7-Eleven pays between $10.38 and $15.39 per hour.
Because of the new social distancing protocols, 7-Eleven is hiring employees to run their 7NOW delivery app. The employees will deliver food, household products, and cleaning supplies in over 400 cities nationwide. All safety materials--face masks, cleaning sprays, and thermometers--are provided for their employees.
Albertson's Hires Furloughed Employees
To gain new employees, Albertson's has become more flexible with its hiring process. Over 1,600 positions are currently open. The company has collaborated with 35 other businesses to hire furloughed employees. New workers will receive paid training and flexible hours, and truck drivers do not require a commercial driving license.
Along with in-store personnel, Albertson's needs virtual and delivery department employees and drivers. Their online sales have jumped 243% compared to last year. Their new Drive Up and Go curbside service allows people to pick up food hands-free.
Lowe's Puts Safety First, Not Money
In late March, Lowe's announced that they are giving away $80 million in employee bonuses. They have also opened 30,000 new positions, with a $300 pay raise for full-time workers and $150 for part-time. For high-risk employees, Lowe's offers up to four weeks of emergency paid leave.
"We're spending less time thinking about the revenue and less time thinking of anything other than can we give our associates the support that they need," said CEO Marvin Ellison. Overall, the company has invested $340 million to initiate curbside pickup, overhead announcements, plexiglass screens, and an app to monitor store occupancy.
Papa John's Will Hire Within The Day
In March 2020, Papa John's announced that they were hiring 20,000 new members. To get as many new employees as possible, managers often hire within the day. The process begins online or via text, followed by an interview. Work begins the next day, if possible.
"For anyone looking for immediate ways to earn an income, we're making it quick and simple to apply, interview and be hired at Papa John’s," said the company's chief people and diversity officer, Marvin Boakye. Employees engage in hands-free, social-distancing checkout and delivery.
How Nestlé Is Fighting The Pandemic
Nestlé has taken great steps in these unprecedented times. In March, Nestlé announced that they would continue to pay full wages to employees who cannot work as much. Not only have they opened 5,000 new positions, but they have also teamed up with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to donate to affected families.
In Canada, Nestlé has raised employee pay by three Canadian dollars ($2.14 USD) per hour. Time will tell if they will extend this bonus to their 120 U.S. locations. As the largest food company in the world, Nestlé needs additional support in its factories and distribution centers.
CVS Health Provides $500 Salary Bonuses
As a health convenience store, CVS's demand has only increased with quarantine. On March 23rd, the company announced that they were hiring 50,000 jobs across America. They were also giving $500 bonuses to essential on-site employees, including pharmacists, cashiers, and managers.
CVS is hiring for full-time and part-time jobs. Positions include delivery drivers, distribution center workers, customer representatives, and in-store employees. Many workers who got fired from hotel chains such as Hilton and Marriott received jobs here. The positions include 24 hours of paid sick leave, and those who test positive receive two weeks of paid leave.
Home Depot Has Taken Steps Toward Safety
Of all the widespread American chains, Home Depot has perhaps taken the biggest steps toward safety. The company has been hiring 80,000 new employees since February, and workers receive double their usual paid leave during the epidemic. In stores and distribution centers, full-time employees get a $100 bonus, while part-time workers gain a $50 bonus.
In April, Home Depot began taking peoples' temperature before they entered the store. This limited the number of customers to encourage social distancing. They have stopped major promotions to reduce store traffic, and they close early to improve sanitation methods.
Target Invested $300 Million To Increase Wages
Throughout the past few months, Target aimed to hire 9,000 new employees. On top of that, they have invested $300 million in higher wages, bonuses, and paid leave. In May, the company claimed that they would raise pay by $2 an hour through the 30th.
Despite their total sales only growing by 7%, Target has spared no expense in safety protocols. Employees rigorously clean shopping carts and enforce wearing face masks. Their new Drive Up service requires additional drivers for online orders.
Demand For FedEx Means Demand For Workers
As social distancing continues, deliveries have increased. Since March, FedEx has had "critical openings available." They offered 3,400 job positions in March and 1,290 in April. Delivery drivers earn an average of $14.87 an hour.
Oddly enough, Thinknum reports that FedEx is hiring fewer employees than they did last year. This could be due to more people applying for FedEx after they got laid off. "We've seen an increase in e-commerce orders and shipments -- and we expect this to continue," the company told CNN. Unlike other companies, FedEx is hiring gradually to maintain the quality and safety precautions of its workforce.
Amazon Will Let People Go Back To Their Original Jobs
Since the epidemic has started, Amazon has rapidly hired new employees. By mid-April, they had hired 100,000 additional employees, and they are still offering 75,000 jobs. On March 16th, they increased hourly pay by $2 per hour. They have also invested $4 billion in safety procedures.
Amazon also announced that they are willing to hire part-time or full-time employees "until things return to normal, and their past employer is able to bring them back." Until then, they distribute masks, take their workers' temperatures, and supply 450,000 canisters of disinfectant wipes.
Pizza Hut Has Already Filled Over 10,000 New Positions
By mid-March, demand for pizza restaurants rose by 25%. Pizza Hut is one of the companies making up for the demand. In late March, the company opened up 30,000 positions. They filled 10,000 of those jobs by late April.
Pizza Hut requires cooks, delivery drivers, shift managers, cashiers, and virtual call agents. The company claimed that they "doubled down" on sanitation and handwashing procedures, including contactless payment and delivery. In fact, Pizza Hut rolled out non-contact delivery before Domino's or Papa John's caught up.
Domino's Has "Thank You" Bonuses
Like other pizza restaurants, Domino's has launched new positions to meet the growing demand. In May 2020, CEO Ritch Allison declared that he has "increased the pay for all hourly corporate store and supply chain center team members, in the form of regular 'Thank You' bonuses." He has not announced how large the bonus is.
Over 10,000 new workers will be hired as managers, truck drivers, delivery drivers, pizza makers, and customer service representatives. A Domino's representative told People that the company is always hiring during quarantine because "many people in our local communities are looking for a job."
Thousands Of Positions Are Open At Dollar Tree
On March 14th, Dollar Tree announced that they would be hiring 25,000 new employees. With over 15,000 stores across the U.S., the company needs distribution workers, delivery drivers, customer service positions, and on-site employees.
Dollar Tree has taken many precautions against the virus. They have installed plexiglass guards and contactless payment at cash registers. Corporate spent $1 billion on safety supplies such as masks, gloves, and sanitizers. For high-risk customers and employees, Dollar Tree offers restricted early morning hours for shopping.
Walmart Offers Temporary Full-Time Positions
As more customers flock to Walmart for essential items, the company requires more employees to handle the giant stores. On March 19th, the company opened 150,000 new positions. These jobs "will be temporary at first, but many will convert to permanent roles over time," according to Walmart.
Donna Morris, Walmart's executive vice president, claims that the hiring process is completed within 24 hours, with many employees beginning the next day. At the same time, the company allows current employees more time off during the pandemic. Salaries depend on the state's minimum wage laws.
Most Americans Live Near An Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware is the largest hardware company in the U.S., and 75% of Americans live within 15 minutes of one. In early April, Ace Hardware announced that they were hiring over 30,000 new employees because of the increased demands. Hourly pay ranges from $9.14 to $16.28 depending on the position.
The company offers full-time, part-time, and seasonal jobs across 5,300 stores. "We feel fortunate that we are able to provide employment opportunities for those who may be looking for work," said CEO John Venhuizen, "with our growing need for more helpful associates."
PepsiCo Will Pay New Employees More
Believe it or not, the beverage company PepsiCo requires many additional workers. In March, the company announced that they are hiring 6,000 full-time, full-benefit employees. Their current 90,000 workers will receive bonuses--specifically people who "make, move, or sell" their products.
Many of the new positions are temporary and allow people to return to other jobs after the pandemic. CEO Steven Williams says that their "sites are running 24/7," and that they need additional help. Like other businesses, they have increased cleaning protocols and restricted customer interaction.
Look Forward To Pay Raises At Walgreens
On March 19th, Walgreens reported that they have 9,500 job openings. Specifically, they are searching for shift leads, customer service associates, and pharmacy technicians. In late April, the company distributed pay bonuses for in-store workers--$300 for full-time and $150 for part-time.
Walgreens is especially keen to hire furloughed workers. They also offer senior hours from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. for high-risk customers. Additionally, the company has launched extra safety measures, including plexiglass screens. They offer extra closed hours to allow employees to stock and clean.
Instacart's Demand Has Skyrocketed
As social distancing continues, demand for delivery services such as Instacart has skyrocketed. On March 23rd, Instacart began searching for 300,000 new full-time employees. They also extended full-time pay leave to cover quarantine for any employee who contracts the virus.
Most employees will be hired in high-traffic states such as New York, Massachusetts, California, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Instacart predicts to hire 54,000 new workers in California alone. They also added a "wellness check" questionnaire to their app. If any employees report that they have symptoms, Instacart will direct them to a health care provider and give them time off.
Rite Aid Hires More People For Higher Pay
With over 2,900 locations across America, Rite Aid requires more workers to stay open during quarantine. In early April, the company planned to hire at least 5,000 new employees. They also raised store employees' pay by $2 per hour and gave an extra $1,000 to their manager's salaries.
Rite Aid's Hero Program will hire cashiers, distribution center associations, and pharmacy techs. Their "Pandemic Pay" policy ensures that employees will receive pay throughout their quarantine if they test positive for the virus. Like other retail stores, Rite Aid offers a senior hour for high-risk customers to shop safely.
Zoom Needs More Employees, Not More Meetings
As open businesses hold meetings online, Zoom Video Communications seeks more employees. In March, the San Jose-based company announced that they are hiring 500 more software engineers. With over 300 million people using Zoom, the company has struggled to keep up with privacy and bugs.
Full-time positions at Zoom also include finance, IT, and sales departments. Employees can work at the company's major centers in Phoenix and Pittsburgh, but many work remotely. Wages vary wildly depending on the city you work in and the position you gain.
