JOLIET – Integrity Staffing Solutions – a temporary staffing agency that provides workers for Amazon.com warehouses across the U.S. – aims to set up shop on West Jefferson Street to hire temporary workers for the online retail giant’s new Joliet location.
The Delaware-based company is seeking a special-use permit from the Joliet City Council to house the temporary staffing agency in an existing building at 3103 W. Jefferson St.
Integrity Staffing Solutions has entered into a four-year contract with Amazon to supply temporary workers for the company’s retrofitted 500,000-square-foot warehouse in the Laraway Crossings Business Park, Joliet City Council members learned during Monday’s pre-council meeting.
The retail giant has estimated its planned fulfillment center – where incoming online orders are received from affiliated stores to be processed and filed – would bring about 1,000 jobs to Joliet. Amazon announced the new Joliet fulfillment center in August.
But it's unclear whether those jobs will be full-time or part-time. Job listings on the agency's website are described as "temporary," with pay rates "up to $13.50 per hour," with the potential for medical and dental benefits.
Joliet Councilman Terry Morris said Monday he is concerned about the types of jobs that companies like Amazon promise to bring when coming to Joliet.
“All of these companies that keep coming in, they’re saying [they’re bringing] full-time jobs. Do we have a way to keep them true to their word? That they’ll all be full-time?”
Joliet City Manager Jim Hock said not in Amazon’s case. The company did not enter into an incentives agreement with the city of Joliet, where the city could require that Amazon hire a certain number of full-time or part-time employees, or hire locally.
After the meeting, Hock said Amazon never gave indication that the company would hire a specific number of part-time or full-time workers or whether it would contract with a temporary staffing agency.
“That’s not something they shared with us,” Hock said.
According to Integrity Staffing's website, the agency hires qualified candidates to work on assignments at Amazon warehouses "on a temporary basis" and that "assignments vary in length."
“There is no guarantee to the length of the assignment. Length of employment is based on client’s business needs which can change,” the job listing states.
Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk requested Monday night that Hock obtain a breakdown of part-time and full-time positions from Amazon.
Mark Koenig, who spoke on behalf of the temp agency Monday, said the Amazon hires will cover the majority of the agency’s purpose in Joliet, but the company may work with a small number of other businesses. The staffing agency also tries to find potential employees temp-to-hire and full-time positions, Koenig said.
It's unclear when exactly the Amazon.com center will be operational, but it has been suggested by the property owner that Amazon wants to be up and running before the holidays.
The Joliet City Council will consider the special-use permit during Tuesday night’s council meeting.