The economy has become one of the casualties of the continual fight to eradicate the coronavirus. Though millions of jobs have been lost as America quarantines, there are companies that are thriving and in need of workers during this pandemic.
Food delivery, pharmacies, shipping and grocery stores are calling for hundreds of thousands of workers to join their workforce in the coming weeks. The job growth, though some are temporary, could make up for some of the current job losses.
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More than 3 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week, sending a collective shudder throughout the economy that is unlike anything Americans have experienced since the Great Recession. The report, released by the Labor Department on Thursday, provides some of the first hard data on the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down whole swaths of American life faster than government statistics can keep track.
“A large part of the economy just collapsed,” said Ben Herzon, executive director of IHS Markit, a business data and analytics firm.
Even with that bleak economic outlook, several industry leaders have announced thousands of job openings. Here are a few:
Instacart
Instacart has seen a growth in its consumer demand in recent weeks with more shoppers staying home due to state mandates to do so or their own self-isolation. To better serve that need to deliver groceries to communities across the country, the company will hire 300,000 shoppers.
“Over the next 3 months, Instacart plans to bring on an additional 300,000 full-service shoppers to act as household heroes for consumers nationwide,” according to a statement from the California-based company.
Pizza Hut
On Monday, Pizza Hut announced it has 30,000 permanent open positions to fill. Jobs include cooks, managers and shift leaders, according to Market Watch.
The pizza chain will expedite the training process, with the goal of getting drivers trained and on the road in five hours. Pizza Hut has put a number of policies in place, such as contactless delivery, that restaurants are increasingly using amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Walmart
Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, plans to hire 150,000 temporary workers by the end of May as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep through the country, according to a company news release.
The company said it is hiring associates to work in stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers.
“These roles will be temporary at first, but many will convert to permanent roles over time,” Walmart said in a news release. “We’ve reached out to industry groups representing restaurants and hospitality to facilitate temporary roles that can be a bridge for their employees during this difficult time.”
Dollar Tree/Family Dollar
Dollar Tree, which also owns Family Dollar, said it is hiring 25,000 full- and part-time workers for its 15,000 U.S. stores and 24 distribution centers.
The company is looking to hire cashiers and stockers at its retail stores and fillers and equipment operators at its distribution centers.
“We are committed to serving our communities by providing customers with critical essentials, especially during times of uncertainty,” CEO Gary Philbin said in a news release.
Amazon
Amazon is seeking to hire as many as 100,000 new warehouse and delivery workers to meet the elevated demands for shipments as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the company announced recently. It will also increase the hourly pay of workers employed in these positions by an additional $2 in the United States through April.
CVS
The Rhode Island-based drugstore chain plans to hire store workers, delivery drivers, distribution center workers and customer service employees, according to a statement given to Bloomberg. CVS and other pharmacies are seeing an influx of shoppers stocking up on medications, health and household items. Prescription delivery is up nearly 300% since CVS waived fees earlier this month, CVS spokesman T.J. Crawford said in an email.
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