Amazon.com Inc has stated that staff whose work can be done from home they may do so till at least October 2, extending the timeline on the return of work for many employees as it is witnessing scrutiny for conditions in its warehouses.
"Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until at least October 2," an Amazon spokesman mentioned in an emailed statement released on Friday also adding that it was applicable for such roles globally. The statement did not emphasize on how much of the company's workforce that covered and which roles.
Amazon.com Inc extends work from home due to Coronavirus
It said the company is investing funds in safety measures for employees who wish to come to the office "through physical distancing, deep cleaning, temperature checks, and the availability of face coverings and hand sanitizer." New York Attorney General Letitia James told Amazon last week it may have violated safety measures and labour practices amid the virus outbreak as the company fired a warehouse protest leader in March.
Workers at warehouses and other facilities have stayed operational to keep deliveries flowing to customers stuck at home in government-mandated lockdowns. Other employees have been working from home since March. The company has raised overtime pay for warehouse workers and hired 175,000 people last month while rival brick-and-mortar retailers had to shut stores. It had 798,000 full and part-time workers globally as of December 31.
(With agency inputs)
