Getting Help, Workers’ Comp Benefits Can be Hard for Amazon Warehouse Workers
Amazon is now one of the largest companies in America. With over 800 warehouses, Amazon’s business boomed during the pandemic when more people were ordering goods online. During the pandemic, Amazon added 1.6 million workers to its labor force. As the workforce ballooned, so too did the injury rate of Amazon workers.
Workers report that it can be difficult for them to get workers’ compensation. In one case, a worker who sustained a wrist injury was told that he had permanent disability. This forced him off of workers’ compensation benefits. He got a second opinion and Amazon offered him a year’s wages to settle the case.
He is not alone. Amazon has become notorious for making it exceptionally difficult for workers to apply for and receive workers’ compensation. Workers for Amazon face a host of orthopedic injuries caused by a grueling pace and heavy lifting.
Why is it difficult to file a workers’ compensation claim against Amazon?
Amazon makes it difficult for employees to file a workers’ compensation claim. They will encourage their employees to file an injury report only after they have completed their shift. They leverage them with job security. If the employee acquiesces and completes their shift, then Amazon can downplay the extent of the injury. If your injuries are so serious, then why did you complete your shift before getting medical treatment? The answer is fear. The individual was afraid of losing their job or being retaliated against by their employer. While doing so is illegal, it does happen. Amazon strongly encourages employees to finish their shift so that they can downplay the extent of their injuries.
Additionally, Amazon has on-site medical care clinics that provide first aid to employees. The clinics do not encourage employees to file workers’ compensation claims. Instead, they fix them up and send them back out to work. This can potentially lead to a greater injury.
The dangers of working at Amazon
The vast majority of Amazon’s workforce is composed of warehouse workers who work in Amazon fulfillment centers across the country. These workers are expected to perform repetitive tasks that include bending, lifting, and packaging products for shipment. Other employees are responsible for unloading and loading goods from trucks and sorting them in the warehouse. All of this heavy lifting can result in various injuries including back injuries, wrist and hand injuries, and more.
It’s easy to see why Amazon is a perilous company to work for. When you add this to their quota system, which encourages workers to work at a high rate of speed, you can see why Amazon has so many workers’ compensation claims filed against them.
Talk to a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you have been injured on the job, the Maryland workers’ compensation attorneys at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC can help you file a claim with your employer. In some cases, companies like Amazon will fight or stall the claim. If you have an attorney, you increase the likelihood of a successful claim. Call today to learn more.
Source:
cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/injured-amazon-warehouse-workers-get-the-runaround-over-benefits-and-care/
