RE: Amazon Workamping
Wow! Got our final checks Friday. The work check was for one week and was what I expected but the bonus check was a surprise. It showed approx. 500 hours worked which was on the money but the total was slightly less than $300!!!! The tax bite on that bonus was huge!!! Did anyone else experience the same thing?
Same here but I knew to expect that because the tax withheld on a bonus is always high. I toyed with the idea of changing our withholding exemptions right before we left but decided it wasn't worth the time. Either way, withholding is just an estimate. You'll either owe less or get more back. Hardest thing about it is that you will have to wait until you file your 2013 taxes, not 2012 taxes since it paid in 2013.
We got out bonus check also. Out of 625 hrs we saw $367.00. Last year had less than 500 hrs and they just added it to our final check. We weren't taxed as much. Anyone out there collecting unemployment??
RE: Amazon Workamping
Sorry but I believe that YOU are misinformed on this. .... We were told by Joe (manager) the real reason that the two were kept in receiving and it was not on performance.
It appears then that someone was given the politically correct reason and someone was given the real reason.
I agree...it seems that Amazon seems to tell you what you want to hear to placate you. That means they are telling people different stories.
RE: Amazon Workamping
It had been made quite clear from the beginning there is a lot of standing, walking, long hours. You are never guaranteed a particular job, and they will move you as the need arises.
Exactly. Those moved out of receiving were moved based on the needs of Amazon SDF1. The manager(s) in receiving were told they could keep two workampers. The decision to keep the two they did was based on the performance factor of the group of workampers, not health related. Some of those who were moved were given the offer to transfer to the Coffeyville plant if they wanted to absolutely work in receiving, as there were still openings in receiving at that plant.
Sorry but I believe that YOU are misinformed on this. We were NEVER offered to transfer to Coffeyville. We asked and were told that they were transferring people from Coffeyville to Fernly! We were told by Joe (manager) the real reason that the two were kept in receiving and it was not on performance.
To answer another question...yes the management in Campbellsville has changed a lot this year. They have a new GM and a lot of new other managers.
To another point, during the exit interview last year, we were told that if we committed to another year before the end of January that we would be able to stay in the dept of our choice. If the camper staff can not promise that then they shouldn't.
RE: Amazon Workamping
You are also not the only work campers that won't be back. At Fernley its been about 5 weeks of 57 1/2 hour weeks mandatory. I have only heard of 1 couple that will return next year out of 300. That should speak volumes since many had been there 2+ years.
There are also several here in Campbellsville that won't be back either. I'm just trying to let people know that there is good money yes, but it is hard work. You could be anywhere in the warehouse and climbing stairs several times a day. Amazon is not treating their workkampers as they have in the past.
RE: Amazon Workamping
There are 2 workampers still in receiveing due to their health limitations.
I believe your information is incorrect in that regard.
Regardless, with respect to number of hours worked, there have been only two days of VTO for our schedule prior to peak season starting. (We've been here since the end of August.) Since peak has started, we had one day of VTO during a scheduled 60-hour week due to late arrival of freight. We've averaged 50+ hours per week for peak.
Since we've been moved out of receiving, we have been working 40 and 50 hrs a week. We have also been here since August 27th and since we are in ICQA are able to stay into January. It's been good in ICQA, the people are great to work for and we've learned a lot of different portions of the job.
All that I am trying to state is this....These warehouses are very large with several different floors. You could be given any job. You don't know where you will work until you start. There are only 2 jobs that require only first floor work....receiving and cris plant.
Things are different in Campbellsville this year and we are not the only workampers who will not be back to Kentucky!
RE: Amazon Workamping
Then we were totally taken out of inbound and now we are in ICQA. They even had us working with the maintenance crew for a week!
You were moved due to the needs of Amazon. The receiving manager was told that they could only keep two people out of their group of workampers and the rest would be moved. And once you moved didn't you get the 40 hours a week per person that you wanted?
Yes they told us we would be moved "because its easier to move workampers, than the permanant workers because we weren't here that long". There are 2 workampers still in receiveing due to their health limitations. It just seems that the management at Amazon this year (a lot of new young ones) don't really know how to schedule!! We get called for OT then offeres to go home!! Some shifts working 6 days others barely getting 40!! Just not the same this year. Good luck to all of you that will be back. It was a good gig for 3 years...not so much this year.
RE: Amazon Workamping
This is our 4th year working for Amazon.com. It will be our last. When the camperforce program first started you were asked if you would like to work in one spot all day or if you wanted to walk. When you asked for a stationary position, you were with put in Receiving or Packing (Either single toys or VDF)
If you wanted a walking position you would either Stow or Pick. We have always worked in the receiving department until this year. We started out in receiving, but because Campbellsville is receiving very little frieght, we were not getting the hours. When we started to refuse the VTO, we were taught to stow. Then we were totally taken out of inbound and now we are in ICQA. They even had us working with the maintenance crew for a week! We have been very dissappointed in the experience this year.
RE: Amazon Building New Warehouses !
There are only 3 Amazon facilities that employ workkampers. Campbellsville, KY,
Coffeyville, Kan and Fernley NV. These facilites are in small towns where there isn't much to pull from as far as workers. The other facilites they are building are in more populated area (4 in the Phoenix area) so they are not hiring campers. You might be able to hire in thru a temp agency in any facility for the peak (Holiday) season but you would be paying your own site.
