One of the five tech giants, Amazon, has millions of employees, but many of these employees are coming forth and publicly complaining of straining work and difficulty with worker’s compensation. 

The New York Times broke the story after extensive research and interviews with many Amazon employees.

One of the major problems for employees is worker’s compensation. According to Monast Law Firm, at this company, after an employee is injured, Amazon has an AMcare clinic available on site.

Certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) run them, but Amazon employs them. Their goal is to patch the worker’s injuries and get them back to work quickly. Monast Law Firm said, “Workers report being given ice packs when they visit an AmCare [sic] clinic for acute and chronic injuries, but not being given the opportunity to report their injuries.” 

For many Amazon employees injuring themselves is a constant worry while working. In an article by The Guardian, employee Rina Cummings said, “There are days I say I’m just at the mercy of God.” .  She is one of the many employees that signed a petition for a 30 minute break instead of two 15 minute breaks. Employees claim that it can take up to 15 minutes just getting to the break room, giving little time for a break.           

As mentioned, employees struggle with grueling work. In an article by the New York Post, another employee claimed she would be on her feet for a 12 hour shift, add the 25 acre warehouse and you could be walking up to 20 miles a day between trips.

    As a result of long hours, difficult standards of behavior, and patchwork medical care, groups of Amazon’s employees struggle with workers compensation for months to even years. Most of the employees’ jobs include lifting heavy items; in the case of injury, someone should immediately stop work and file for compensation during their recovery period. In an article reported in Business Insider, an employee notes he’s still waiting for Amazon to approve his medical treatment and workers’ compensation. The company told him that he couldn’t attend physical therapy.

While Amazon claims that safety and privacy is their top priority, many employees still report injuries and problems with compensation.   

Amazon is under fire due to various complaints from employees across the country, but their history of questionable working conditions dates back to 2018, when they began tracking employees’ movements with an e-wristband that tracks hand movement.