Fact check: False claim Amazon is paying $47 per hour for overnight shift

BrieAnna J. Frank, USA TODAY
·3 min read

The claim: Amazon is paying $47 per hour for its 12 to 8 a.m. shift

A widely-circulating social media post said one of the nation's largest employers started offering an hourly pay rate that equates to nearly six figures per year.

“Amazons (sic) 12am-8am Shift just went up to $47/hr,” reads an Oct. 18 Facebook post that was shared more than 6,000 times in two days.

But the claim is baseless. Amazon recently announced pay increases for its customer fulfillment and transportation workers, but the company confirmed its highest hourly rate for those employees is $26.

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USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the claim for comment.

Pay for front-line employees recently raised following unionization efforts

Amazon in late September announced a boost in pay for many of its employees, but hourly rates are still nowhere near the figure claimed in the social media post.

In a Sept. 28 news release, the e-commerce giant said its averagepay for front-line workers would increase from $18 to more than $19 per hour starting in October.  Operations employees' pay would be between $16 and $26 per hour “depending on their position and location in the U.S.,” the company said.

The announcement came amid unionization efforts at some Amazon facilities across the country, as reported by news outlets including Fortune and The Washington Post.  Warehouse employees near Albany, New York, ultimately voted against unionizing in an Oct. 18 election, according to The Times Union.

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When asked for comment on the social media claim, Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly told USA TODAY the figures the company announced in September reflect current hourly compensation rates.

The Amazon logo is seen at the Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City.
The Amazon logo is seen at the Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City.

An Oct. 20 USA TODAY review of Amazon's open job listings found that the highest-paid early morning and overnight shifts offered up to $22 per hour.

Shift times can vary by location, but Amazon’s website says early morning shifts typically start between 3 and 4:30 a.m. Overnight shifts typically start between 6 and 8 p.m.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim Amazon is paying $47 per hour for its 12 to 8 a.m. shift. Amazon recently announced pay increases for its front-line workers, but the company confirmed its highest pay for those employees is $26.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Highest starting pay for front-line Amazon workers is $26