Is Amazon CamperForce Workamping for RVers Worth It?

What is the Amazon Camperforce program and how does it work? Where do you have to go to participate? How much will they pay you and where will you live?

Like us, many RVers need to earn a living while they’re on the road. In our post on what it means to “workamp” (work and camp), we mentioned that Amazon fulfillment centers present a number of work opportunities for RVers, particularly during their peak seasons.

Today’s post is all about Amazon CamperForce, which offers seasonal jobs to RVers who stay at a local campground during their employment.

What Is the Amazon CamperForce Program?

Amazon’s CamperForce offers full-time and part-time work to travelers at Amazon warehouses in the United States and Canada.

CamperForce workers take jobs in one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers and are paid by the hour. In addition, Amazon pays a certain amount per week toward the workers’ campground fees.

The jobs are specifically designed for people seeking short-term work assignments while residing in an RV at a local campground. These are seasonal assignments.

CamperForce workers are hired during Amazon’s peak seasons and work a designated number of daily hours. They park their rig at an RV site in a nearby RV park and live there for the duration of the assignment.

Where Are Amazon CamperForce Jobs Located?

CamperForce locations for the fall of 2022 were as follows:

• Portland, Oregon
• Houston, Texas
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Lexington, Kentucky
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Tampa, Florida

In summer, there are a number of additional locations in Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

What Do Amazon CamperForce Workers Do?

Although there are a number of different types of positions offered by Amazon, RVers who have participated in the CamperForce program report that workers generally do one of three jobs: stow, pick or pack.

Stow

This is basically a job where workers place items into bins.

Merchandise is received at the fulfillment center, then CamperForce workers in the Stowing Department need to see that the merchandise reaches the appropriate bins on designated shelves with the correct labels.

Stowers typically walk anywhere from 5 to 8 miles during the course of a workday.

Pick

From the location where stowers placed the items, pickers retrieve them, the location of which is noted on a scanner.

The scanner shows the picker the location of the bin, and they go to that location and collect the item, moving it to the packer.

These warehouse jobs involve the most walking, which can be anywhere from 8 to 12 miles per day.

More “picking” jobs are available to CamperForce workers than any other position.

Pack

This involves packing the items in shipping boxes and applying a mailing label.

In the packing department, totes filled with items to be shipped arrive on conveyor belts. They then get sorted and packed into boxes as noted on the customer orders.

This is a less physical job than the previous two and involves far less walking. But there’s still some physical effort involved.

Can I Choose My Job Assignment As an Amazon CamperForce Worker?

No. Jobs are determined by the company, and workers are assigned as needed.

Workers can choose which warehouse they want to work at, however, as long as CamperForce jobs are available at that location.

How Much Does Amazon CamperForce Pay?

Camperforce pay is based on the state where the warehouse is located.

Amazon workers earn a minimum of $15 per hour, but many locations pay more… typically anywhere from $15.50 to $18.50 per hour.

Workers can choose part-time (15-30 hours per week) or full-time (40-60 hours per week) and can volunteer to work overtime when it’s available. (Note that overtime regulations vary from state to state.)

CamperForce workers are paid weekly.

Workers who stay for the entire duration of the job are given an assignment completion bonus at the end.

The bonus amounts to 50 cents for every regular hour worked, and $1.00 for every overtime hour worked.

What Is CampPay?

CampPay is money Amazon contributes to RVer’s living expenses during their work assignment period.

CamperForce workers currently receive between $120.00 – $270.00 per week depending on warehouse location. This contributes to workers’ campground expenses.

However, there are a few important points to note here.

1. If you and a partner are living in the same RV and are both CamperForce workers, you will each receive the weekly CampPay amount regardless of the fact that you’re only staying in one RV site.
2. The amount is set by warehouse location and has nothing to do with the actual cost of your campsite.
3. CampPay is paid to the worker and not to the campground or RV park.
4. Payment to the RVers means that CampPay taxable income.
5. CampPay is paid per week along with regular pay.

CamperForce workers are given a list of area campgrounds and RV parks and are responsible for making their own arrangements for a campsite.

How Do I Apply to Amazon CamperForce?

In order to be hired as an Amazon CamperForce worker, you’ll need to meet the following criteria:

• Over the age of 18
• Able to read and speak English
• Able to pass a drug screening test
• Able to pass a background check
• Physically capable of walking and/or standing for up to 10-12 hours
• Able to lift items up to 49 pounds
• Able to push, pull, squat, bend, and reach
• Able to climb and descend stairs
• Able to operate carts, dollies, hand trucks, forklifts, order pickers, and other equipment (training provided)
• Must reside in an RV for the entire duration of the work assignment
• Must reside at a campground for the entire duration of the work assignment

Have more questions? Visit the Amazon CamperForce FAQs page for more info. CamperForce positions may not be available at certain times of the year.

Have You Worked for Amazon CamperForce?

If you’ve worked as part of the Amazon CamperForce program, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the experience.

We’ve heard that the work and hours can be rough, but we’ve read that many people enjoy the work and the camaraderie they experience with other workers. That’s especially true for those who live in the same campground and gather after work or on days off.

We’ve also heard that many workers return to take additional seasonal CamperForce assignments.

We know it’s hard work… but is it worth it? If you have CamperForce experience, leave a comment below and tell us where you worked, what you did, and how you felt about the position.

Looking for something to read as you’re considering working on the road? Our dear friend Alyssa Padgett authored two awesome books about RVing that we think you’ll enjoy. Of course, they’re available on Amazon!

UPDATE: Late breaking news about the end of Amazon Camperforce! 😕

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