Return to office postponed for many workers, while Senate cites ‘dangerous’ warehouses
Amazon's workplace practices and policies are facing renewed scrutiny, with recent reports highlighting delayed office returns and allegations of unsafe working conditions in its warehouses.
For one, Amazon is postponing its full-time return-to-office (RTO) policy for employees in several cities due to incomplete office spaces, according to internal communications reviewed by Business Insider.
Initially announced in September by CEO Andy Jassy, the plan mandated all corporate employees return to the office five days a week starting January 2, 2025. This marked a shift from the existing three-day hybrid model.
However, workers in Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, and New York were recently informed that their RTO requirement will be delayed until workspace readiness, which could extend as far as May, says the report. Amazon stated that while most offices will be prepared by the January deadline, certain locations require extended timelines.
This isn’t the first logistical hurdle for Amazon’s office policies. In 2023, the company faced delays in implementing its three-day office policy due to similar workspace issues in cities like New York and Austin, with some workers waiting until September for adequate office arrangements, says Business Insider.
The updated RTO requirements have sparked debate over potential employee dissatisfaction and whether other companies will follow suit with similar policies. While Jassy dismissed speculation that the mandate is a veiled layoff strategy, says the report, Amazon’s cloud executive Matt Garman acknowledged that some employees might leave due to the policy shift.
Amazon safety vs. productivity: Senate report
In a separate development, Amazon’s warehouse practices are under fire in a 160-page Senate report that accuses the company of prioritizing productivity over worker safety, says CNN.
Released by a Senate committee led by Senator Bernie Sanders, the report claims Amazon enforces grueling productivity quotas that expose employees to high rates of musculoskeletal injuries.
The report, titled The ‘Injury-Productivity Trade-off’: How Amazon’s Obsession with Speed Creates Uniquely Dangerous Warehouses, alleges that Amazon knowingly disregards its internal safety studies, including one called Project Soteria. This internal research found a direct correlation between the speed of work and injury rates, recommending changes to reduce risks, says CNN.
“Amazon’s executives repeatedly chose to put profits ahead of the health and safety of its workers by ignoring recommendations that would substantially reduce injuries at its warehouses,” Sanders stated.
The report also alleges that many workers suffer permanent disabilities due to the company’s demands and limited support for injured employees. OSHA previously fined Amazon $100,000 in 2023 for ergonomic hazards, though the Senate report suggests these penalties are insufficient for a company that earned over $17 billion in profit last quarter.
Amazon, however, dismissed the findings as outdated and flawed, says CNN.
The company defended its record, stating that injury rates at its U.S. warehouses have dropped by 28% since 2019 and that incidents requiring time off work have decreased by 75%. The company attributed these improvements to its adherence to safety protocols and dismissed Sanders’ report as politically motivated.
“Sen. Sanders and his staff chose to rely on the debunked Soteria analysis because it fits the false narrative he wanted to build,” Amazon stated.
