Staff are still clocking into shifts despite showing flu-like symptoms and bosses are not closing down sites to ensure proper sanitization has taken place, one staffer said.
“They care about money, not their people. But, we robots, or I mean associates, are what keeps that business running,” that Moreno Valley associate, Laura Williamson, told CBSLA.
“Shut it down for two days. Sanitize it,” she added, noting staff touch the same materials. “We’ve got people that are coming to work sick because they can’t afford to stay home.”
The mother of an employee in the Moreno Valley center, identified only as April, told CBSLA that her daughter had complained about a sore throat this week but went back to work while waiting for her COVID-19 test results as there were bills to pay.
The company said the unnamed worker was last in the center on March 18. “We… are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site,” a spokesperson said.
Positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in almost a dozen centers in New York, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Connecticut and Kentucky, according to The Washington Post.
“Our process evaluates where the employee was in the building, for how long, how much time has passed since they were onsite, and who they interacted with, among other items, in determining whether we need to close,” the company continued. “We also ask anyone at the site who was in close contact with the diagnosed individual to stay home with pay for 14-days in self-quarantine.”
But some employees told The Verge they only learned about positive cases in their warehouses from social media or news outlets, and called for a better warning system to be put in place.
Company spokesperson Kelly Cheeseman said in a statement released this month the retailer is “going to great lengths” to ensure all buildings are clean. “Those who don’t want to come to work are welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options and we support them in doing so,” she added.
Employees who want to stay home have the option to take unpaid leave throughout April however that obviously means they would take a significant financial hit for that month.
Multiple warehouse employees told CNBC working conditions remain unsafe, saying that pressures to meet company targets means they don’t always have enough time to wash their hands.
“The workplace is overcrowded,” Hibaq Mohamed, an employee working in Minnesota said, describing the break room and facility. “I am afraid, but I cannot stop working without pay.”
“We’re providing a vital service to people everywhere, especially to those, like the elderly, who are most vulnerable. People are depending on us,” the billionaire businessman wrote.
In broader guidance that was also published online, the online shopping giant stressed: “If any employee feels unwell, they must stay home and call their healthcare provider.
Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub. Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste. Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms. Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people. If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance. Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease. Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask and glove usage
Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning. Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask. Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask. Do not reuse single-use masks. Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves. The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.
