Amazon employees who got $10 turkey coupons are irked that new staff are being given up to $3000

Amazon employees who have endured uncertain months of work during the pandemic are voicing their disdain with a move to give new hires an up to $3000 signing bonus, while they have only received coupon vouchers for turkeys during the holiday season. 

Social media chatrooms for Amazon Inc. employees have been filled with slamming post describing how some employees received vouchers for as low as $10. Others didn’t receive anything at all, Bloomberg reports. 

In anticipation for a grueling holiday season – where online sales are expected to spike 33 percent – the global online retailer has used signing bonuses to entice people to apply. 

People in California facilities are getting $3000 at some places while people in Illinois are getting $2000 and people in Massachusetts are getting $1,500.

Amazon is offering signing bonuses for new employees who work during the holiday season

The move is angering workers who have endured the long months of the pandemic and who have only been given $10 turkey vouchers from Amazon

The move is angering workers who have endured the long months of the pandemic and who have only been given $10 turkey vouchers from Amazon 

Employees who have been with the company during the early days of the pandemic, who only received a temporary raise of $2 per hour and unlimited unpaid time off, feel jaded by the new incentive.

‘If one worker gets a turkey and another worker gets $3,000, it’s the ultimate insult in compensation,’ said Fred Whittlesey, a compensation expert and former Amazon employee. 

‘People constantly compare. It doesn’t matter if it’s money, a turkey or a share of stock. If someone got something I didn’t get, it immediately creates resentment.’ 

A warehouse worker in California, who was anonymous out of fear of retribution, said that he received a $15 turkey voucher at the end of his shift from a smiling human-resources representative. He used the voucher to buy carne asada.  

‘I was going to put it in the bank because it looked like a check, but it was a grocery voucher you couldn’t redeem for cash,’ he said. 

‘They usually give us a few pieces of turkey and an extra 15 minutes for lunch break, but they can’t this year because of social distancing.’

The worker added that they do get regular notices that a coworker has contracted the virus, but most keep coming back to work ‘because they have bills to pay. It would be nice to get paid a little more with all this stuff going on.’

Amazon is known for trying to take on the holiday spirit during the season, letting employees come to work with Santa hats. But the pandemic has all but taken the holiday cheer for many at the company as social gatherings, like the turkey dinners, can’t take place in their fullest capacity.

One employee did share that they still got turkey dinners, but in to-go containers they had to take to their car.    

The news about the disgruntled employees comes as Amazon tries to keep morale and spirits high  

According to Adobe Analytics, online sales this holiday season are expected to spike to 33 per cent for a record $189billion.

Such an increase could cause delays in deliveries with large shippers like FedEx and UPS already warning of a potential capacity shortfall due to the pandemic.  

For the holiday season, Amazon said it's offering shoppers 'easy, convenient, and contactless package pickup options' at delivery locations in more than 900 cities across the US via Amazon Hub

For the holiday season, Amazon said it’s offering shoppers ‘easy, convenient, and contactless package pickup options’ at delivery locations in more than 900 cities across the US via Amazon Hub 

In response, Amazon said it’s offering shoppers ‘easy, convenient, and contactless package pickup options’ at delivery locations in more than 900 cities across the US via Amazon Hub.  

According to a statement released Monday, Amazon said customers can also pick up their items at one of its physical bookstores, called Amazon Books, or an Amazon 4-star location.

John Felton, the vice president of Amazon global delivery services, said in the statement: ‘This year many customers and their families are opting to stay home so the challenge of keeping those special gifts under wraps from family, friends or loved ones is going to be greater than ever.

‘We’re helping customers keep their orders a surprise this year and have a number of ways we’re providing them more flexibility, control and convenience over their deliveries,’ Felton explained. 

Felton said that flexibility will allow customers to ship to an alternative pickup location, track their package en route to their home, or consolidate their deliveries to a single day so they can plan ahead.