Amazon tells all employees to stay home amid coronavirus fears

guest · Apr 25, 2020

Amazon Asks Workers Staying at Home to Return or Seek Leave
April 24, 2020
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...rs-sheltering-at-home-to-return-or-seek-leave

Amazon.com Inc. is asking warehouse employees who have stayed away from work during the pandemic to return for scheduled shifts beginning May 1, or request a leave of absence.
The move sets up a critical choice for employees at a company that has become a lifeline for Americans locked down to contain outbreaks of Covid-19.

In a blog post published Friday, Amazon said it would extend the raise through May 16 but made no mention of unlimited unpaid time off. Amazon said it was “providing flexibility with leave of absence options, including expanding the policy to cover Covid-19 circumstances, such as high-risk individuals or school closures.”
An Amazon spokeswoman said part-time and full-time employees will be eligible to request leave.
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guest · Apr 29, 2020

mood said: ↑

Exclusive: Amazon deploys thermal cameras at warehouses to scan for fevers faster
The company says the cameras will create a “more streamlined experience”
April 18, 2020
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ouses-to-scan-for-fevers-faster-idUSKBN2200HT
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Exclusive: Amazon turns to Chinese firm on U.S. blacklist to meet thermal camera needs
April 29, 2020
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...st-to-meet-thermal-camera-needs-idUSKBN22B1AL

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) has bought cameras to take temperatures of workers during the coronavirus pandemic from a firm the United States blacklisted over allegations it helped China detain and monitor the Uighurs and other Muslim minorities, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

China’s Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co Ltd (002236.SZ) shipped 1,500 cameras to Amazon this month in a deal valued close to $10 million, one of the people said. At least 500 systems from Dahua - the blacklisted firm - are for Amazon’s use in the United States, another person said.
The Amazon procurement, which has not been previously reported, is legal because the rules control U.S. government contract awards and exports to blacklisted firms, but they do not stop sales to the private sector.

Amazon declined to confirm its purchase from Dahua, but said its hardware complied with national, state and local law, and its temperature checks were to “support the health and safety of our employees, who continue to provide a critical service in our communities.”
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guest · May 1, 2020

Amazon extends work from home status until Oct. 2 for eligible employees
May 1, 2020
https://komonews.com/news/coronavir...ome-status-until-oct-2-for-eligible-employees

In light of the coronavirus pandemic Amazon is encouraging eligible employees to work from home until early October to limit the spread of the virus and keep workers safe.

An Amazon spokesperson said Thursday the company is prioritizing the health of its employees and following local government guidance in making the decision.

"Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until at least October 2," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We are working hard and investing significant funds to keep those who choose to come to the office safe through physical distancing, deep cleaning, temperature checks, and the availability of face coverings and hand sanitizer.”
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guest · May 5, 2020

hawki said: ↑

First Amazon Warehouse Worker Dies of Coronavirus

Just hours after Amazon reportedly fired more warehouse workers for speaking up about the purportedly unsafe working conditions in its 'fulfillment centers', a spokesperson for the company just confirmed that the first warehouse employee has died of COVID-19.

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/492807-first-amazon-warehouse-worker-dies-of-coronavirus
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Amazon warehouse worker reportedly dies of coronavirus in NYC
May 5, 2020
https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/amazon-warehouse-worker-dies-of-coronavirus-in-nyc/

An Amazon warehouse worker in New York has reportedly died from the coronavirus.

Amazon says that the employee was last at the Staten Island warehouse on April 5 and was later placed on quarantine after testing positive on April 11, according to The Verge.
Amazon did not immediately respond to Digital Trends’ request for comment. We will update this story when we hear back.

The employee worked at the same Amazon warehouse that went on strike in late March over the company’s failure to protect employees from the coronavirus pandemic.
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guest · May 8, 2020

Revealed: Amazon told workers paid sick leave law doesn't cover warehouses
May 7, 2020
https://www.theguardian.com/technol...house-workers-coronavirus-time-off-california

Amazon workers in southern California’s industrial heartland say the company’s policies are forcing sick employees to work and that warehouses are refusing to comply with a state paid sick leave law meant to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks.

On 1 May, Amazon ended a policy allowing unlimited unpaid time off, a measure adopted at the start of the coronavirus crisis that allowed workers to take time off for any reason. They would forgo wages, but if they were concerned about their safety or had new childcare responsibilities due to lockdowns, they could stay home without losing their jobs.
Without the policy, workers say they could now be fired if they miss shifts.
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Employees also shared emails showing that Amazon has dismissed some paid sick leave requests by claiming a California law intended to provide supplemental sick leave during the pandemic does not apply to the warehouses.
“I’m afraid to come to work, but I don’t have a choice,”

“People are absolutely going to show up sick. They have to,” said a 23-year-old worker at an Amazon fulfillment center in Rialto, a city near San Bernardino. The worker recently stopped going to work out of fear, even though he now risks losing his job and gets no paid time off. “We’re all crammed in there. It’s gonna get bad.”
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guest · May 23, 2020

Amazon threatened with closure of Wisconsin campus over coronavirus
Health officials cite lack of cooperation by retail giant
May 22, 2020
https://www.theguardian.com/technol...n-coronavirus-wisconsin-campus-closure-threat

Health officials in south-eastern Wisconsin have warned Amazon that if the company does not fully cooperate with state testing and tracing efforts, its Kenosha campus located 40 miles south of Milwaukee could be shut down. The announcement comes as at least 20 workers have tested positive for the coronavirus at two facilities.

“To date, the Kenosha County Division of Health has struggled to receive coordinated cooperation from Amazon regarding the handling of Covid-19 cases,” Jen Freiheit, a health officer with Kenosha County, told the Kenosha News on Thursday.
Amazon has not released the number of positive cases at its facilities nationwide, however.

“We’re at the point now that since we’re not getting [cooperation], we’re going to look into what other measures we can take for Amazon, because we are not getting as far with compliance as we would like,” Freiheit told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
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guest · Jun 3, 2020

Amazon warehouse workers sue over risk of COVID-19 infection
Workers allege Amazon “sought to create a facade of compliance”
June 3, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/3/2...-workers-covid-19-coronavirus-safety-measures

A group of three Amazon warehouse employees who work out of the company’s New York fulfillment centers have filed a lawsuit alleging the company put them and their families at risk of COVID-19 infection, according to a report from Bloomberg. One plaintiff, Barbara Chandler, says she contracted the virus in March from a State Island warehouse, known as JFK8. Her cousin, who is also her roommate, later died after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, the report states.

The lawsuit also alleges that Amazon has taken a lax approach to contact tracing investigations to try and determine which employees may have come into contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, and that the company has punished workers for speaking out about safety concerns.

“HR just told me that I should keep it quiet,” Chandler told The Verge back in April about her conversation with her supervisors regarding her positive test results. “That’s all they told me.”
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guest · Jun 28, 2020

Amazon warehouse workers in Germany will strike Monday because of coronavirus infections
June 28, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/28/21306256/amazon-warehouse-germany-strike-safety-coronavirus

Amazon workers at six sites across Germany plan to strike Monday because dozens of staff members at its logistics centers have been infected with the coronavirus, union officials told Reuters. The union says the company is prioritizing profits over workers’ safety.

Labor union Verdi says “at least 30 to 40 colleagues were infected” with the virus, according to Reuters. The strike will last 48 hours and be conducted with the motto “good and healthy work.”
Monday’s strikes are planned for Amazon sites in Leipzig, Bad Hersfeld, Rheinberg, Werne, and Koblenz, Reuters reported. Germany is the e-commerce giant’s second-biggest market after the US.
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guest · Jun 30, 2020

COVID-19 spread 4X faster in one Amazon warehouse than local area
June 30, 2020
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...-covid-19-hazard-pay-with-one-time-500-bonus/

After eliminating temporary "hazard" pay raises, Amazon is saying "thank you" to its hourly workers with a one-time bonus of $500, while at least one Amazon warehouse has been found to have a COVID-19 rate four times higher than the general population nearby.

Amazon yesterday announced its one-time bonuses for "front-line" employees. Full-time workers in warehouses and Whole Foods stores, as well as full-time delivery drivers, will receive $500. Part-time workers in those roles will get $250, and Amazon Flex drivers who worked 10 hours or more will get $150. [...]
Hazard bonus
No employee from any company ever objects to extra cash in hand, but Amazon workers and employee advocates say the money is not enough in the face of the threat from COVID-19, which has hit some warehouses particularly hard.
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[...] according to Recode, which yesterday published a report citing interviews with "dozens" of current and former employees. While those employees said safety conditions have improved in the warehouses since March, many added, "they have such limited work options that they keep showing up to sort, pack, and deliver shipments for Amazon even as they fear the company isn’t doing enough to keep them safe during a global health crisis."

Next door in Germany, Amazon workers went on strike yesterday in six locations. Union leader Orhan Akman said in a statement about the strike that "Amazon has so far shown no insight and is endangering the health of employees in favor of corporate profit," according to CNBC.
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CNBC: Amazon memo reveals Covid-19 was more prevalent in Minnesota warehouse than surrounding areas

Coronavirus infection rates at an Amazon warehouse in Minnesota were far higher than the surrounding community, according to an internal memo obtained by CNBC.

The memo contradicts Amazon’s previous messaging about infection rates. Top executives including Dave Clark, senior vice president of global operations, have said infection rates at warehouses match or are lower than the cities they’re in.

Amazon has repeatedly declined to disclose how many of its workers have been infected by Covid-19.

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guest · Jul 27, 2020

California is investigating concerns about COVID-19 safety at Amazon centers
July 27, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/27/california-amazon-probe-attorney-general/

According to a new court filing, multiple California state offices are actively investigating Amazon over worker safety concerns as the coronavirus continues to rage throughout the U.S.

In the filing, reported by Reuters, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman writes that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health and San Francisco’s Department of Public Health have all opened investigations into the online retail giant’s workplace practices in light of the pandemic.
The attorney general’s office declined to comment when reached by TechCrunch.

Amazon’s own shipping centers have reported outbreaks [...] The disclosure of the three California state investigations came out of a court case accusing Amazon of failing to adequately protect workers in a San Francisco Amazon Fresh Fulfillment Center.
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guest · Oct 1, 2020

Amazon says more than 19,000 workers got Covid-19
October 1, 2020
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/01/amazon-says-more-than-19000-workers-got-covid-19.html

Amazon on Thursday released comprehensive data into the spread of the coronavirus among its employees, disclosing for the first time that more than 19,000 workers, or 1.44% of the total, contracted the virus this year.

Between March 1 and Sept. 19, Amazon counted 19,816 presumed or confirmed Covid-19 cases across its roughly 1.37 million Amazon and Whole Foods Market front-line employees across the U.S.
The information comes months after labor groups, politicians and regulators repeatedly pressed Amazon to disclose how many of its workers were infected by Covid-19.
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Amazon previously declined to share the data, saying it would be misleading and lacked context. In Thursday’s blog post, Amazon said the total number of infections would be “more powerful” if other companies released similar data.

“Wide availability of data would allow us to benchmark our progress and share best practices across businesses and industries,” the company said.
The total does not include Amazon’s network of third-party delivery drivers, which handle a portion of last-mile deliveries.
It’s unclear how many contracted drivers make up Amazon’s third-party delivery network, but the company previously said it has added nearly 85,000 jobs across the U.S., Canada, UK, Spain, and Germany.
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guest · Oct 10, 2020

Amazon fined by OSHA for coronavirus safety violations at two California warehouses
Amazon told CNBC it plans to appeal the citations
October 9, 2020
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/09/california-osha-fines-amazon-for-coronavirus-safety-violations.html

Two Amazon warehouses in California have been cited by the state’s division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for coronavirus-related health and safety violations.

Cal/OSHA issued $1,870 in fines to an Amazon fulfillment center in Eastvale, California, known as LGB3, and a delivery station in Hawthorne, California, referred to as DLA8, for failing to mitigate potential exposure to the coronavirus by providing adequate health and safety training.

“Employees were unaware of key elements in the training materials, including but not limited to, sanitation of work stations and frequently touched objects in the workplace,” according to the citations, which were issued Oct. 6 and first reported by The Los Angeles Times.
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Contracted delivery drivers received no notifications of confirmed cases at Amazon facilities, the complaint said.

“This withholding of information goes well beyond what is needed to protect the privacy and identity of sick employees,” the complaint states.
The citation comes after Amazon last week revealed that 19,816 front-line employees have contracted Covid-19 between March 1 and Sept. 19.
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hawki · Apr 5, 2021

mood said: ↑

Amazon fires two tech workers who criticized warehouse conditions
April 14, 2020
https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-fires-two-tech-workers-who-criticized-warehouse-conditions/
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"Amazon illegally fired workers who criticized warehouse conditions, NLRB reportedly finds

The National Labor Relations Board has reportedly determined that Amazon last year illegally fired two employees who spoke out publicly against warehouse conditions and pushed the company to address climate change. The agency told the employees, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, that it would accuse Amazon of unfair labor practices if the online retail giant doesn't settle the case..."

https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-il...d-warehouse-conditions-nlrb-reportedly-finds/

guest · Jul 19, 2021

Amazon will no longer test warehouse workers for COVID-19
July 19, 2021
https://www.geekwire.com/2021/report-amazon-will-no-longer-test-warehouse-workers-covid-19/

The Information reported Monday that Amazon will stop conducting on-site COVID-19 tests for warehouse employees after July 30. The company was previously administering 50,000 of tests per day after building out in-house testing capacity last year.
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