Amazon is sued over warehouses after New York worker brings coronavirus home, cousin dies

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Amazon.com Inc <AMZN.O> has been sued for allegedly fostering the spread of the coronavirus by mandating unsafe working conditions, causing at least one employee to contract COVID-19, bring it home, and see her cousin die.

The complaint was filed on Wednesday in the federal court in Brooklyn, New York, by three employees of the JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island, and by family members.

One employee, Barbara Chandler, said she tested positive for COVID-19 in March and later saw several household members become sick, including a cousin who died on April 7.

The lawsuit said Amazon has made JFK8, which employs about 5,000, a “place of danger” by impeding efforts to stop the coronavirus spreading, boosting productivity at the expense of safety.

It said Amazon forces employees to work at “dizzying speeds, even if doing so prevents them from socially distancing, washing their hands, and sanitizing their work spaces.”

Amazon did not comment on the lawsuit, but said it has always followed guidance from health authorities and its workplace safety experts since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The Seattle-based company has benefited as the pandemic forced many consumers unable to visit physical stores to shop online more.

Unions, elected officials and some employees have faulted Amazon’s treatment of workers, including the firing of some critical of warehouse conditions.

Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said last week that Amazon has not fired people for such criticism.

Amazon is spending more than $800 million on coronavirus safety in this year’s first half, including cleaning, temperature checks and face masks.

At least 800 workers in U.S. distribution centers have tested positive for COVID-19, according to an employee’s unofficial tally.

Amazon ended 2019 with 798,000 full- and part-time employees.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction requiring that Amazon comply with worker safety and public nuisance laws, and not punish employees who develop COVID-19 symptoms or are quarantined.

The case is Palmer et al v Amazon.com Inc., U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 20-02468.

This article was originally posted on finance.yahoo.com/news/.

Home of Science
Follow me

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

PSV 0-1 Rangers (2-3): Antonio Colak fires side into Champions League for first time since 2010on August 24, 2022 at 8:51 pm

Rangers will play at European football's top table for the first time in more than a decade after stunning PSV Eindhoven to reach the...

Flu rise warning from NHS in Englandon December 30, 2022 at 12:23 pm

NHS chief warns against complacency and says "risk of serious illness is very real".Image source, Getty ImagesThere were more than 3,700 patients a day...

US midterms: Misleading election claims fact-checkedon November 9, 2022 at 11:52 am

Several false and unsubstantiated rumours have circulated online during the US midterm elections.Several false and unsubstantiated rumours have circulated online during the US midterm...

Transfer gossip: Who could be on the move in the Premier League and Europe?on August 17, 2022 at 7:00 am

The transfer window shuts on 1 September, but who could be on the move before then?The transfer window shuts on 1 September, but who...

Ukrainians wary of Russian claims of withdrawalon February 16, 2022 at 3:11 am

Kyiv says it wants to see evidence that Russia really is moving troops away from the border.
Home of Science
Follow me