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I mentioned this possibility to Echo this morning, and just found some more information. In a nutshell, Express Personnel is expanding the Amazon workamping program to opening jobs for 2009 in these cities: Coffeyville, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; Fernley (near Reno), Nevada; Las Vegas Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona. Jobs will begin as early as September and continue until Dec. 23. Overtime is a distinct possibility. It is not necessary to sign up for that complete period; they need people beginning early September, early October, and early November to work until Dec. 23. Jobs would be at least 40 hours per week (4-10 hour shift per week). Pay should be at least $10.50 per hour, plus an RV site allowance. Work involves light lifting, lots of walking.

If you think you might be interested, please let me know and I'll send you a form. Reason for that is mercenary: I get $25 for each person referred who is hired. This is a great opportunity to earn good money and this time won't involve having to freeze in Kansas.

Chris,
If I remember correctly you posted how much you disliked the actual job? That it was physically demanding and much more than you thought it would be. Exactly what I expected because I know how those warehouses work. I just would like you to be brutally honest here - because I have nothing against anyone taking the position - but let's tell them just what it entails. You didn't stay with it - would it be something they could do? How physically fit is it necessary to be?

I hope you get some referrals - but I only want them to come from this forum if they know just what they are getting into. Thanks.

Many, many people kept with the jobs. I had no problem except for a toe on one foot that's given me trouble for several years. Thought it would be okay, but it wasn't. If someone is reasonably fit, the jobs are fine. And, there are many types of jobs as well, some in gift wrapping, some requiring not a lot except standing. I specifically chose the picking job because I wanted to do a lot of walking. Would have been fine except for the toe. Now, if I had had medical insurance of some kind then, I would have taken care of it. However, didn't.

Beth, I can understand your hesitations. I wouldn't recommend the jobs with Amazon if I hadn't seen at least 200 people, many of them much older than I am, doing the jobs successfully. One of the complaints in Kansas was the extreme cold weather in November and December. However, I don't think that will be a problem in Arizona and even Nevada.

Chris,
I just looked up your old post and here is a direct quote from you:

I really don't think my thread was hijacked because it FELT (notice the past tense - it's important) like I was prostituting myself at Amazon. I drove up to Wichita this weekend to visit a a friend I hadn't seen since high school - uh, a little more than 40 years or so. During the 130 mile drive, I considered the job from Hell--and decided it was definitely NOT what I started workamping for. Of course, my good little Sugar Daddy, Uncle Sam, has been very helpful with the decision to quit the place tomorrow. I could find all kinds of reasons to stay, but the important one, my mental and physical well-being, trumps all the rest.

and from the first post in the thread:

By the middle of last night, every part of my body hurt so badly I almost cried but had to keep going for more and more and more hours, until 3:30 a.m. Drag myself out of bed around noon to prepare to do it again tonight. The only thing I think about is the money and that it’s only until Christmas. Then I never have to do it again, ever! First paycheck this morning. Talking with other workampers here, most of them have been counting the days for a long time. We work and sleep, that’s about it. Watching people at breaks or lunch, the first thing most of us do is pull out the Ibuprofen or Aleve or Advil bottles.

The thread that is from is here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=965&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Now, I know you wrote that right when you were feeling it - and hindsight makes a world of difference - and I don't begrudge anyone who works for them, have considered it myself. However, that doesn't mean that I don't know that what you said above isn't true. If you do the job you were doing, it's very, very, very hard work. You didn't go into it understanding it - and I'm just making sure if anyone here goes into it, they do understand it. Neither of these quotes complained about the weather.

"Your mileage may vary."

Beth makes some good points. My experience with Amazon wasn't the best, but it was mainly because of my toe. However, I'm only one person of at least 200 workampers there this season. If you'd like to read a very full gamut of experiences from all kinds of people, you need to be a member of Workamper.com. If you're a member, go to the workamper news forums and click on User Control Panel at the top of the page. From there, click on User Groups, then on Amazon Workampers, and you;'ll be able to read at least a year's worth of experiences.

There's no way I will defend or change what I wrote earlier this year about my experiences because that's exactly what they were: mine. However, I figure everyone here is brilliant enough to do their own research and make up their own minds. For the right people, Amazon has been a wonderful place to work, especially for the amount of salary and the overtime. So, as I said, "your mileage may vary."

Thank you Chris! As I said, I've always considered this - and someday may still do it and if I do, I'll contact you so you get the referral fee - although my feet don't like standing that long as much anymore. There's also a post in the regular Workamping Forum section - if someone searches, they'll find - I remember reading it last year - from a lady who worked with them the previous year. She gave a lot of really good advice - didn't pull any punches either - talked about the good, the bad and the ugly - and for her it was worth it also.