Amazon’s public policy team plans to lobby for an increase in the federal minimum wage.
News this week that Amazon plans to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour will likely impact thousands of workers in Virginia.
Amazon currently is advertising hourly jobs in Virginia starting at $11.75 to $12.50 an hour. Amazon’s new minimum wage goes into effect in November and is more than twice the state and federal minimum wage of $7.25.
“We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead,” Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO, said in a press release. “We’re excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us.”
Most of Amazon’s hourly employees in Virginia are employed in its fulfillment centers, a company spokeswoman says. Amazon has 4,500 full-time employees in its Virginia fulfillment centers. Its Virginia fulfillment centers are in Chester, Clear Brook (Frederick County), Petersburg, Springfield and Sterling. Amazon also has a sorting center in Ashland.
