Even amid the throes of the coronavirus crisis, with Americans either at home or practicing heavy social distancing, many companies are looking to hire. Many essential businesses, like grocery stores and delivery companies, need more workers to meet demand. Many other companies have transitioned to telework, and some telework companies may also be hiring. This is politically important because Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) fought for a provision in the $2 trillion stimulus bill that disincentivizes furloughed workers from looking for a new job.
This tally includes the 150,000 new workers Walmart announced it would hire. The retailer announced it would give full-time employees who are paid hourly a bonus of $300 each, and part-time hourly employees $150. Amazon announced plans to hire 100,000 new employees to meet the rising demand for e-commerce orders and deliveries. Amazon and Walmart will hire most of these workers through April, but many may stay longer or permanently.