LOS ANGELES (AP) — California has fined Amazon nearly $6 million for alleged violations of the state’s Warehouse Quota Law, officials announced on Tuesday.
The fines stem from practices at two Amazon warehouses in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, east of Los Angeles. Find the source at finance.yahoo
The California Labor Commissioner’s Office issued the citations in May, accusing Amazon of pushing warehouse employees to work at a pace that jeopardized their safety.
The law, which took effect in 2022, mandates that warehouse employers must provide employees with written notice of any quotas and potential disciplinary actions for not meeting them.
Amazon faces a $1.2 million fine for its Redlands warehouse and a $4.7 million fine for its Moreno Valley facility.
“Individual performance is evaluated over a long period, and employees are encouraged to review their performance and discuss any issues with managers.”
The company has contested the allegations, stating it has appealed the citations. “The truth is, we don’t have fixed quotas,” said Amazon spokesperson Maureen Lynch Vogel.
The citations argue that Amazon failed to provide the required written notices about quotas. Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower criticized Amazon’s practices, stating they represent “exactly the kind of system” the Warehouse Quota Law aims to prevent.
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She emphasized that undisclosed quotas increase pressure on workers, leading to higher injury rates and missed breaks.
The investigation into Amazon’s practices began in 2022 after workers at the Southern California facilities reported unfair quota practices.
The Warehouse Worker Resource Center, a nonprofit advocating for better working conditions, highlighted the significance of this enforcement action.
Other states, including Minnesota, New York, Oregon, and Washington, have enacted similar laws.
In May, U.S. Senator Edward Markey introduced a federal version of the warehouse worker protection act, underscoring the growing legislative attention to workers’ rights in high-pressure environments like Amazon’s warehouses.