With the coronavirus meaning that physical stores across the country are closed, more people are turning to online shopping to buy essentials (and nonessentials). Many are buying from the e-commerce giant itself: Amazon. In fact, Amazon announced near the beginning of the crisis that it would be hiring an additional 100,000 warehouse employees and the company has already hired 80,000. But what is it like to be an Amazon employee during the pandemic?
Workers Are Afraid to Go to Work
From early on, warehouse workers have expressed concerns about coming into work. Most companies who similarly large workforces operating in a confined space have been forced to shut. However, Amazon has been defined as an essential business, meaning it is allowed to continue operating.
To make matters worse, workers have been expressing concerns that Amazon is not doing enough to stop the spread of the virus. In some warehouses, employees claim there are insufficient masks, hand sanitizers, and cleaning products. Plus, many workers are required to come in — they have no option, like at other companies, to stay home.
