Amazon to hire 300,000 for the holidays as other retailers hold back

Amazon plans to hire more than 300,000 US workers for the holiday season, up 20% from last year, with seasonal staff paid an average of $20 an hour. It is adding health cover for seasonal workers who stay into January. Overall US seasonal retail hiring is forecast to fall again.

• Hiring tops 300,000, up from 250,000 last year, a 20% increase
• Seasonal workers earn an average of $20 an hour; full-time ops near $24
• Health cover from January 1 at $5 a week for 30-hour staff
• US retailers expected to add about 450,000 seasonal jobs, below last year's 461,500