By Sebastian Herrera

Amazon.com Inc. has started to offer paid time off to all part-time hourly employees throughout its U.S. logistics network, responding to pressure from warehouse workers who called for the change late last year.

The employees, who had organized in Sacramento, Chicago, New York and other areas, said the outbreak of coronavirus -- which has led to a massive surge in online orders for the e-commerce giant -- had been a critical factor in prompting the company to change the policy.

All hourly employees in Amazon's logistics network, which includes hundreds of thousands of warehouse and delivery workers, can now accrue paid time off, according to an Amazon spokeswoman. Previously, such benefits were available primarily to full-time workers, who typically accrue two weeks paid time off and two weeks unpaid time off per year.

The company had also allowed employees who test positive for COVID-19 to take paid sick leave. The new employees who receive the benefit are able to make paid time-off requests starting Monday, although the company didn't make clear how the benefit will be accrued.

Write to Sebastian Herrera at sebastian.herrera@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 23, 2020 20:09 ET (00:09 GMT)

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