- Amazon said it would provide workers with up to two weeks of paid sick leave if they tested positive or are in quarantine due to the coronavirus.
- But five Amazon workers told CNBC they’ve received no pay or were given 60% of their typical weekly paycheck, despite meeting the requirements for paid sick leave.
- Many of them are now applying for unemployment benefits in order to make up for gaps in their income.
A worker at a facility in Indiana said it feels like there’s “lots of hoops that workers have to jump through” in order to get paid while they’re in quarantine. The worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said the issue has only added to workers’ frustrations around safety and transparency at their facilities.
“We do not feel safe in our building anymore,” the worker said. “And the pay we do get if we test positive is only 60% of our pay. Amazon is not taking care of us.”
An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC that the company offered two weeks of paid sick time to “ensure employees have the time they need to return to good health without the worry of lost income.” Employees who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are in quarantine may be eligible for additional paid time off beyond the two weeks, the spokesperson said. They added that the company is “working with employees to gather the information we need to approve” extra paid sick time.
“Because we are continually revisiting policies to ensure the safety of our employees, going forward, this information may include self-report of patterns of symptoms and exposure, particularly when the employee cannot obtain medical certification at all,” the spokesperson said.
Photo by Jeenah Moon for Reuters on CNBC website of worker at Amazon’s Staten Island, NY facility.