(NewsInsights.org) – Amazon has faced a multitude of legal challenges throughout the years. It was under investigation for violating antitrust laws and came under scrutiny for its warehouse practices. The latter has thrown the company back in the spotlight as it was recently fined millions of dollars for allegedly violating safety regulations.
The California State Labor Commissioner’s Office has accused Amazon of violating its Warehouse Quotas Law 59,017 times at two of its warehouses in Redlands and Moreno Valley. As a result, it has fined the retail giant $6 million.
The Warehouse Quotas Law, which went into effect in 2022, requires employers in the state to provide employees with written notice of their expected quotas. The companies need to provide the workers with the number of tasks they need to complete in an hour and outline the discipline that would happen should they fail to meet the requirements. It also mandates employers set feasible quotas that would not interfere with lunch or rest breaks, or the need to use the restroom.
On Tuesday, June 18, the Labor Commissioner’s office said Amazon “failed to provide” this written notice. The company fired back, saying it didn’t need to provide the information because it has a “peer-to-peer evaluation system” to rate its workers. Yet, that system is exactly what the law is meant to prevent, per Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower.
Amazon is also facing other citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for violating safety regulations and exposing workers to risks, including “ergonomic hazards.” These types of risks are associated with repetitive tasks that increase the probability of musculoskeletal disorders and lower back injuries. Three specific facilities were singled out — Waukegan, Illinois, New Windsor, New York, and Deltona, Florida.
Amazon has said it would appeal the $6 million fine it faces in California as well as the safety violation citations from three additional states.
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