ANKARA

American e-commerce tech firm Amazon announced Monday it will hire 100,000 new full and part-time employees across the US and Canada to expand its operations, cashing in on a time when consumers turn to online shopping amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Seattle-based company said the decision comes on top of 33,000 corporate and technology jobs announced last week. It offers a starting wage of at least $15 per hour with up to $1,000 in bonuses to new employees in select cities, including health, vision and dental insurance.

"We are opening 100 buildings this month alone across new fulfillment and sortation centers, delivery stations, and other sites," Dave Clark, Amazon Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations, said in a statement, stressing on "safety" measures.

Amazon has long been criticized for putting profit before safety due to accidents, long overtime hours and poor working conditions, while its owner and CEO Jeff Bezos, 56, remains on top of Forbes Billionaires List with more than $183 billion as of Monday.

Employees at Amazon's warehouses in the UK were told in March to work overtime to meet high demand despite British officials calling for social distancing, while the company in the US averaged 9.6 serious injuries per 100 full-time workers in 2018 so that the firm can meet its two-day shipping policy for customers paying annually $120 for prime service.

Amazon doubled its earnings in April-June period of 2020 with $5.24 billion net income, up from $2.62 billion the same period last year, according to its latest financial results statement.

Since the beginning of 2020, Amazon has opened over 75 new fulfillment, sortation centers, regional air hubs, and delivery stations across the US and Canada. The firm has more than 175 warehouses, known as fulfillment centers, around the world in addition to some 110 operational facilities.