Amazon Ends COVID-19 Paid Leave for Workers, Offers Unpaid Health Time Off

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 01 May 2022, 07:05 pm

Amazon is no longer offering its paid leave for workers despite those catching COVID-19 from the warehouses or its offices. Previously, it extended the paid leave for customers by up to five days, and it gives them lead time to stay at home and rest while also getting their salaries. Now, workers see five unpaid sick days, and the rest would be marked as absent.

Amazon Ends COVID-19 Paid Leave for Workers

(Photo : Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Amazon workers in the United States are no longer getting paid for the five days they will stay at home when testing positive for COVID-19, reports CNBC. It goes against the company's previous policy that extends help to pay for the days they avoid work and recover from getting the virus.

Workers are not getting any compensation for the days they miss work despite getting it from the workplace.

Additionally, workers will no longer have the five days of time off that they previously got on waiting for the results of their tests, despite the past setup in the company. The reason for this is that there are rapid tests available now that can get results in an instant.

Many health changes are coming to Amazon, alongside the gradual return to the normal situations happening in the country.

Unpaid Leave for Workers with COVID-19

Engadget reports that there is a memo sent out to its workers, and it now details what is happening in the company when dealing with COVID-19-related issues. It said that workers will still get five days of leaves, but it will not be covered by the company and remain unpaid for the days they are not at work and is staying at home to recover.

Amazon and its COVID-19 Response

Amazon's COVID-19 response saw a mixed reaction from the public as many reports saw the company's efforts regarding this previous pandemic, especially when it was at its peak. One of the many notable cases in Amazon's operations is the delay in shipments due to COVID-19, and this is despite the company hiring 100,000 new workers during the start of the pandemic.

Each Big Tech company has been under microscopic eyes to watch their COVID-19 response. Many people and entities expect actions from them regarding the pandemic, with their resources and many capabilities to deliver. However, there was a case in Amazon where its warehouses hid the total number of workers with positive issues at one point.

Early this year, Amazon already cut off the paid leave for workers by half for the five days they will be away to deal with their positive case of COVID-19. Despite the recommended number of quarantine days being 14, as per many health organizations.

Now, it is entirely cutting off the paid leave, and it would no longer consider it for those catching the virus during these times.

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Written by Isaiah Richard