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Amazon is reportedly trying to preempt legal action over its controversial COVID-19 protections by filing a lawsuit against New York’s attorney general.
The retail giant filed the lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court asserting that federal labor law takes precedent over state regulations, according to Reuters. The legal action comes after Amazon was criticized for its early response to the coronavirus outbreak, including the firing of labor rights activist Christian Smalls.
Top Class Actions help right consumer wrongs by reporting on lawsuits filed over workplace safety. We’ll follow the developments and let you know if a settlement is reached.
Amazon Hit With Lawsuits Over Workplace Safety Amid COVID-19
Amazon faced criticism from workers and others in the initial months of the pandemic, which led to a number of lawsuits. Smalls lodged his own class action lawsuit against the company claiming that it had put Black and Hispanic workers particularly at risk with insufficient COVID-19 protections.
Another class action lawsuit was filed by Staten Island workers who said, in addition to poor workplace safety, Amazon had failed to pay COVID-19 leave in a timely manner. Additionally, the retailer faces a class action lawsuit filed in New Jersey on behalf of Black and Latinx Amazon employees over the company’s handling of its workers regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
New York’s attorney general Letitia James reportedly said that the company may have violated workers’ rights in the early months of the pandemic and now it appears that Amazon is hoping to shield itself from a lawsuit by sending a lawsuit of its own, asking for an injunction.
Amazon claims that it has implemented more than sufficient COVID-19 safety measures, including tests and now a plan to roll out vaccines.
The company touted its passing grade on a pop inspection by the city of its warehouse in Staten Island on March 30, 2020, in the lawsuit. The retail giant claims the temperature check stations, social distancing signs, and shift management led to a finding by the city inspector that the safety concerns were “baseless.”
In its lawsuit, Amazon reportedly claims it has been unfairly treated by the attorney general’s office. The company claims it was slapped with violations despite submitting documentation to the contrary and that it has been subjected to much higher standards regarding its COVID-19 protections.
More than 19,000 of Amazon’s frontline workers in the United States have contracted the coronavirus since September 2020, according to Reuters.
Are you an Amazon worker? What do you think of the company’s COVID-19 protections? Tell us in the comment section below!
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