Amazon.com shifts starting now for new flood-related positions

Hiring is ongoing and shifts are beginning now for 8,000 new temporary workers at Amazon.com’s Lexington County distribution center, company officials said.

Half of those new jobs are being shifted here to provide a boost to the area in the wake of the Midland’s historic flooding, and half are needed for increasing distribution needs for the holiday season, a spokesman said.

“The additional 4,000 was to help people get back on their feet after the flood,” spokesman Aaron Toso said from his Seattle office.

Toso wouldn’t disclose where the 4,000 flood-related positions are being shifted from. “We typically don’t disclose that,” he said.

The company is hiring for the seasonal positions now and bringing on new employees every week, he said. That will continue until early December.

In January the company will scale back to non-peak levels, but several hundred of the temps will be kept on, Toso said.

“There are pathways to people becoming permanent,” he said.

Those wanting to apply can go to www.apply.smjobs.com or go to the local SMX office at1801 Charleston Highway, Suite L, Cayce.

The website says warehouse associates can make up to $11.50 an hour.

This story was originally published October 16, 2015 at 9:13 PM with the headline "Amazon.com shifts starting now for new flood-related positions."