SALT LAKE CITY — Amazon’s massive distribution center near Salt Lake International Airport was rocked by Wednesday’s earthquake activity leading to an evacuation and 36-hour suspension of operations.
But an Amazon spokeswoman said the 855,000-square-foot facility was back in operation Thursday evening following inspections for quake damage. The company reported no employees were injured during the seismic event and those who lost hours were compensated.
“The health and safety of our employees is our top priority,” the spokeswoman said in a statement. “We are thankful for the quick action by our teams and local emergency responders after (Wednesday’s) earthquake in the Salt Lake City area, to ensure that each of our employees onsite were safe and accounted for.
“All employees were sent home (Wednesday) with full pay while we worked closely with local authorities to evaluate the impact to our buildings and confirm it was safe to re-enter and resume operations.”
The world’s largest online retailer has been under a deluge of orders amid widespread home isolations in the U.S. and around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The retailer is not only back online in Salt Lake City, but announced this week plans to add 100,000 new employees worldwide to its already monstrous global operations driven by a workforce numbering around 800,000.
The company has also launched a temporary $2 per hour increase to its $15 per hour minimum starting wage. In a blog post, the company said it wants “to recognize our employees who are playing an essential role for people at a time when many of the services that might normally be there to support them are closed.” Amazon said the wage bump will be in effect through the end of April.
Current Amazon job listings for its Utah operations in Salt Lake City and West Jordan start at the newly adjusted rate of $17 per hour and include openings for various warehouse order fulfillment and shipping positions as well as shoppers for its Whole Foods subsidiary grocery delivery business.
Amazon said it is happy to take on those displaced by layoffs and work stoppages in other industries impacted by COVID-19 until they are able to return to work.
“We also know many people have been economically impacted as jobs in areas like hospitality, restaurants and travel are lost or furloughed as part of this crisis,” read a company blog post. “We want those people to know we welcome them on our teams until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back.”
The COVID-19 driven order surge has impacted the company’s typical delivery times with one1-day and two2-day shipping options suspended for some items. Amazon’s supply chain priorities are also being impacted by pandemic issues, and in a posting on its website the company noted it is prioritizing items it will receive at its global network of distribution centers.
“We are closely monitoring the developments of COVID-19 and its impact on our customers, selling partners, and employees,” read the company web posting. “We are seeing increased online shopping and as a result some products such as household staples and medical supplies are out of stock.
“With this in mind, we are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so that we can more quickly receive, restock and ship these products to customers.”
The list of Amazon’s current priority products include:
- Baby products
- Health and household
- Beauty and personal care (including related appliances)
- Grocery
- Industrial and scientific
- Pet supplies
Amazon has also instituted a “no rush” option for those placing orders who don’t need their goods immediately. The company said those who select no-rush delivery will enable it “to consolidate orders and make fewer stops in neighborhoods throughout the week, and most importantly, serve customers with the most critical needs first.”
Amazon said it’s following Centers for Disease Control guidelines in its operations and is offering two weeks paid time off for employees who are forced to quarantine due to a positive COVID-19 test as well as unlimited unpaid time off through the end of March.
The company said it has established an emergency loan program for financially distressed employees and contractors and has launched a $5 million small business relief fund in Seattle, a city hard-hit by COVID-19 and home of Amazon’s world headquarters.