Trust California to be at the forefront of any legislation that blends hysteria with a chance to pilfer corporations.
Amazon has now agreed to pay $500,000 to the state of California after it was accused of concealing COVID-19 case numbers from its workers.
This marks the first such action under the state’s new “right to know” law meant to improve workplace safety. Of course, the politico leading the charge is doing a victory lap.
In a statement from his office Monday, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta also said Amazon agreed to submit to monitoring and improve how it notifies workers and local health agencies of COVID-19 cases in its workplaces. The measures come “at a crucial time for workers as Amazon’s peak holiday season approaches,” the statement said.“As our nation continues to battle the pandemic, it is absolutely critical that businesses do their part to protect workers now — and especially during this holiday season,” Bonta said in the statement. “Californians have a right to know about potential exposures to the coronavirus to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
The argument made against Amazon was that its reporting practices were “inadequate”.
Throughout the pandemic, Bonta said Amazon inadequately notified warehouse workers and local health agencies of Covid case numbers, “often leaving them in the dark and unable to effectively track the spread of the virus.”Amazon sends notifications of new Covid cases to warehouse workers via its internal messaging portal, called A to Z, and works to determine if other employees came into contact with the person who tested positive by reviewing on site camera footage, as well as interviewing workers.Warehouse and delivery workers have previously criticized Amazon’s contact tracing and case notification protocols, claiming they’re inadequate.
In addition to paying $500,000 toward even more enforcement actions under supposed “consumer protection laws”, Amazon also agreed to make changes to its workplace policies.
Under the agreement, Amazon must notify warehouse workers within one day of the exact number of new COVID-19 cases, adequately inform workers of disinfection and safety plans and employees’ COVID-19 related rights, notify health agencies of COVID-19 cases within 48 hours to avoid potential outbreaks and submit to monitoring by the California attorney general’s office regarding its COVID-19 notifications.”Today’s first-of-its-kind judgment will help ensure Amazon meets that requirement for its tens of thousands of warehouse workers across California,” Bonta said. “Bottom line: Californians have a right to know about potential exposure to the coronavirus to protect themselves, their families and their communities.”
The coronavirus is now endemic, and we will be experiencing cycles of infection for quite some time. How are rules like this practical, or sensible, of you consider employees have dealt with severe flu and other common infectious diseases since the first business officially opened its doors thousands of years ago?
How easy would it be to “contact trace” cold and flu cases, in a way that would be “adequate”? The is a great example of how the continuing response to the coronavirus will be used to continue to bludgeon American businesses.
Frankly, I would be more impressed if the state required employers to report adverse reactions to the vaccines that employees are mandated to take. That information would be invaluable to all Americans as well as California employees.
Finally, if stunts such as this fuel inflation, as that $500,000 is coming from the pockets of Californians in some form or fashion.
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