Amazon’s Work Environment Under Scrutiny After New York Times Expose

Those much-anticipated packages we get at our doorsteps in record time come at a great price for the employees of Amazon, according to an in-depth expose published in The New York Times.

The piece describes the company’s blatant disregard for both former and current employees in painful detail, from a bad employee reviews after the birth of a stillborn child to a ruthless, cutthroat corporate culture, which has apparently left employees exhausted and hopeless.

Reports of Deplorable Conditions

The newspaper’s expose is not the first time Amazon’s workplace principles have been scrutinized. Over the years, there have been a number of reports highlighting the poor working conditions of Amazon’s warehouse employees, some of whom work in 100-degree weather without air-conditioning.

There have been stories of employees who completely lack any type of work-life balance, suffering from health issues caused by brutal manual labor.

It was also reported earlier this year that Amazon requires even temporary, hourly-wage workers to sign non-compete clauses that bar them from working in competitors’ offices for 18 months.

Amazon and its CEO, Jeff Bezos, have denied the allegations brought on by former employees in the Times.

Impact on Amazon

It is not clear what type of impact this story will have on Amazon’s workplace policies or if the management will make a move to change its work environment. Bezos has asked his employees to e-mail him directly if they have any concerns about their workplace.

As California employment attorneys who represent workers whose rights have been violated, we are extremely concerned by this report.

We are also a law firm, which prides itself in providing a familial work environment for our associates. We understand the impact a work environment can have on morale and productivity.

While Amazon seems to have been a successful company, based on more than 100 interviews conducted by the Times, morale seems to have been abysmal. The quality of life of these employees seems nightmarish.

What You Can Do

While providing a work-life balance is not a corporation’s legal obligation, it is necessary for the well-being of its employees.

However, if a company is shortchanging its employees by not paying them for hours worked or is asking them to work during their meal breaks, that is illegal. Employees who are subjected to these types of injustices should report them.

They can also contact an experienced California employment law firm who will fight for their rights and help them secure fair compensation for their losses.