[July 06, 2011] Amazon hiring hundreds to Lehigh Valley warehouse [The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.] Tweet (Morning Call (Allentown, PA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 06--Online retailer Amazon.com today announced plans to hire several hundred full-time workers to its warehouse and shipping center in Breinigsville that the company opened last year. Wage information for the positions was not disclosed. In previous hiring campaigns, Amazon said the positions paid up to $12.25 hourly. Applications are being processed by the staffing firm ISS. Such hiring binges are rare in today's volatile job market. The Lehigh Valley's unemployment rate hit 8.4 percent in May and sluggish hiring in the private sector remains a major drag on the economic recovery. Amazon said the jobs include medical benefits, paid vacation, stock awards and a 401(k) retirement plan with matching company contributions. Amazon officials could not be immediately reached to determine if the jobs are temporary or permanent positions. Online retailers have seasonal demand, and have to ramp up staffing at times of peak demand such as the holidays. Applicants must be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma and be able to lift 50 pounds, according to the website. For more information or to apply, go to http://www.amazonapplyonlineallentown.com or call 484-809-7716. The Seattle-based company opened the shipping center last year to serve the Northeast. With easy access to I-78, the Turnpike and Route 22, the Valley has seen an increase in the number of warehouse distribution operations in the last decade. But they have been battered by the recession as consumers have scaled back their purchases. [email protected] 610-820-6694 ___ To see more of The Morning Call, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.mcall.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]