Injured Workers Claim “Culture Of Apathy” At Amazon
Amazon warehouses are like the 6th layer of Hell according to workers who have suffered serious repetitive stress injuries related to their position as “pickers”. Pickers are responsible for gathering warehouse items and placing them into robots, thus preparing them for delivery. Part of the problem is that the robots require you to use one arm to open the top and use the other arm to place the item into the robot. Regardless of how heavy the item is, you have to do this for 8 hours a day.
Workers are reporting muscle strains and other injuries related to this job. Those who are injured on the job, claim that Amazon supervisors act like Pol Pot toward their employees. Employees who are injured are forced to go back to work under the threat of being fired or having their pay withheld. Obviously, this is illegal. But when you’re the largest company in the U.S. run by the richest man on earth, the rules don’t apply to you.
A legacy of cruelty
In April of 2018, OSHA named Amazon one of the most dangerous places to work in America. Among the key problems for Amazon was a lack of concern over workplace injuries, lack of functioning mechanical equipment that caused injury, a failure to report on-the-job injuries, and a pattern of unsafe working conditions.
However, this only scratches the surface of Amazon’s attitude toward its warehouse staff. Staff is routinely sent home without pay if they are injured on the job, occasionally fired, and/or injured and reinjured themselves over and over in an attempt to accommodate their employer’s breakneck quotas. However, Amazon refuses to do basic things that would improve the workers’ conditions such as rotating employees’ job duties so that they did not have to do strenuous labor until they drop.
Workers who are injured report that they do not get compensation for months while caseworkers take their time processing claims. Injured workers are first entitled to onsite treatment through a company known as Amcare. Unfortunately for the workers, Amcare does not employ doctors. Instead, security personnel. One worker who demanded to see a doctor was sent home. She said she tried to fill out an accident injury report, but was told to just go home for a week and wait until she was well enough to come back. When she demanded to fill out a claim, she said the security workers at Amcare gave her “attitude”. Her injury continued to worsen. When she tried to open up a workers’ compensation claim, the insurer Sedgwick, told her the injury did not happen at work. Amcare then suggested she continue to work with the injury or go see a personal doctor on her own time. The woman’s case was closed and she was placed on unpaid leave.
Talk to a Miami Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
Payer Law represents the interests of workers who are injured on the job. Regardless of who you work for, you are entitled to recover compensation if you are injured on the job. If your employer is giving you a hard time, don’t argue with them. Have us file a claim. Our Miami workers’ compensation lawyers will get you the money you’re owed and hold your employer accountable.
Resource:
wsws.org/en/articles/2021/11/15/amaz-n15.html
