Starting pay for Carowinds seasonal workers slowly declines over 3 years
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Doing the same job, for less money. Every year Carowinds looks to hire thousands of new seasonal workers but those hoping for a job at the amusement park this year were thrown off by a drop in pay.
On Tuesday, Carowinds announced it would be hiring 2,500 workers for the upcoming season, which starts on March 9, 2024.
To prepare the amusement park said it will be holding a week-long hiring event later this month. However, some weren’t happy with the hourly wage offered this year by the amusement park.
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So Queen City News did some digging.
In a release that came Tuesday morning, Carowinds officials said hourly pay ranges from $14 for candidates 16 years and older, and while that’s nearly double the North Carolina minimum wage, it’s $1 short of what the amusement park was offering this time last year.
At one point, Carowinds was paying workers $20 an hour. This was back in the fall of 2021 around the time when extra unemployment benefits were cut off and companies were hoping to attract more workers.
Queen City News reached out to Carowinds asking about the drop in wages. A spokesperson sent Queen City News this statement:
“Annually, Carowinds conducts thorough reviews of its wage structures and benefits to maintain market competitiveness and align with industry standards. Our determination of hourly wages for seasonal workers considers several factors, including market analysis and the diverse range of job roles available. We also offer a variety of other roles at higher pay ranges. Carowinds remains a leader in seasonal job opportunities.”
Check out the special events and new experiences coming to Carowinds this year
Carowinds said that it does offer a variety of other roles at higher pay ranges.
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