Online retail giant Amazon currently has over 140 fulfillment centers across the U.S. However, these warehouses have frequently been hotbeds of worker injuries. This prompted an investigation on workplace conditions from the Guardian. Connecticut residents should know that the investigation turned up numerous cases of Amazon employees being improperly treated after workplace accidents.
In April 2018, a 43-year-old former employee in Florida filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that his managers fired him after he hurt his back. He also said they neglected to file a workers’ compensation claim once the injury was reported. They allegedly told him that he was too young to experience back problems. Amazon Human Resources would have been able to authorize a doctor visit, but the employee was fired before that could happen.
Another lawsuit, this time from a former employee in Pennsylvania, alleges that the plaintiff was fired five weeks after incurring an on-the-job injury. According to the Guardian’s investigation, other employees claimed that they quit after continually suffering from fatigue and exhaustion in the warehouse.
April 2018 also saw the release of a “dirty dozen” list of the most hazardous places to work in the U.S. Compiled by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, the list included Amazon. Seven Amazon workers have been killed since 2013, with three killed within five weeks in 2017.
Those who are injured on the job can file a workers’ compensation claim in their effort to be covered for medical expenses and lost wages. The program will pay a portion of those wages lost during the physical recovery and can even provide for short- or long-term disability leave. To ensure a smooth filing process, a victim could hire a lawyer. If the claim is denied, the lawyer could help with the appeal.
