05/17/2022 – Over the past decade, Amazon has grown to be the second largest employer in the United States and now boasts over 1.6 million workers across all its operations. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the company’s growth, with the number of employees doubling in the past two years. Simultaneously, the company has opened hundreds of new facilities as it invests in last-mile delivery operations and focuses on two-day delivery. In 2020 alone, it is estimated that the company opened 300 new facilities.
In New Jersey, Amazon has grown rapidly. The company has opened dozens of new facilities, and currently reports19 fulfillment and sortation centers and 20 delivery stations in the state. Relying on a mixture of employees, third-party Delivery Service Providers (DSPs), and gig-economy Flex drivers to get packages to doors, Amazon’s expansion means more and more drivers on New Jersey roads. According to the company, from 2015 to 2020, the number of Amazon’s New Jersey employees grew from 5,500 to 49,000, a nearly 800% increase in only 5 years. As of 2020, 1 in 100 New Jersey workers was employed by the company, and today it is likely the largest private employer in the state.