Amazon plans to add 150,000 temporary workers in the United States for the holiday shopping rush, a 50% increase from the company’s holiday hiring push a year ago.

Amazon, like many retailers and logistics companies, is facing challenges hiring workers and is raising pay, dangling bonuses, and expanding benefits in response to the pressures.

The jobs have a starting pay of $18 an hour plus sign-on bonuses up to $3,000 in a bid to compete in a tight labor market, the company said in a news release. Workers can earn an additional $3 an hour per shift depending on location.

Amazon’s temporary positions for the holidays include picking, scanning and packing items at warehouses and loading boxes onto trucks.

Other chains are adding temporary and permanent workers at stores and warehouses to meet demand from holiday shoppers.

Walmart plans to hire around 150,000 employees, most of them in permanent, full-time positions, while Target  is aiming to bring on 100,000 seasonal workers and 30,000 permanent supply chain employees.

UPS , Kohl’s , Nordstrom , Macy’s  and others are also adding workers for the holidays. Some are offering sign-on bonuses this year for new hires and other incentives.

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