A Double Whammy: Workers Scared To Show Up Being Fired And Then Losing Unemployment Benefits
Some states with a history of weaker labor protections are encouraging employers to report workers who do not return to their jobs, citing state laws that disqualify people from receiving unemployment checks if they refuse a reasonable offer of work. In other news, workers are suing Amazon over allegations about unsafe working conditions.
The New York Times:
Workers Fearful Of The Coronavirus Are Getting Fired And Losing Their Benefits
After scraping by for weeks on unemployment checks and peanut butter sandwiches, Jake Lyon recently received the call that many who temporarily lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic have anticipated: The college-town tea shop where he worked was reopening, and it was time to go back. But Mr. Lyon, 23, and his co-workers in Fort Collins, Colo., who were temporarily laid off, worried about contracting the virus, so they asked the shop’s owners to delay reopening and meet with them to discuss safety measures. (Healy, 6/4)
The Washington Post:
As Coronavirus Took Jobs Or Workers Fell Ill, Teen Children Have Toiled Full-Time, Becoming Lifelines
A customer turned to Jael Marquez when she couldn't find an item on the shelves of the Save A Lot, but Marquez knew it was in stock back in the warehouse, so he went and got it. It was weeks ago, sometime around the day he turned 17. He remembers it because it was the one time this spring when a customer looked him in the eyes and said "thank you." "I appreciate you still working," the African American woman in her 50s said through a mask after taking the box. "Because there's a lot of risk." (Klemko, 6/3)
Reuters:
Amazon Is Sued Over Warehouses After New York Worker Brings Coronavirus Home, Cousin Dies
Amazon.com Inc has been sued for allegedly fostering the spread of the coronavirus by mandating unsafe working conditions, causing at least one employee to contract COVID-19, bring it home, and see her cousin die. The complaint was filed on Wednesday in the federal court in Brooklyn, New York, by three employees of the JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island, and by family members. One employee, Barbara Chandler, said she tested positive for COVID-19 in March and later saw several household members become sick, including a cousin who died on April 7. (Stempel, 6/3)
NBC News:
Amazon Sued By NYC Workers Seeking Coronavirus Protection, Not Money
Amazon did not directly respond to NBC News’ questions, but Lisa Lewandowski, a spokeswoman, emailed a statement that said the company had invested $4 billion on “COVID-related initiatives” between April and June 2020. The lawsuit appears to be the second such suit it has faced in the wake of the pandemic. The first was filed last month in a county court in Oregon. (Farivar, 6/3)
Stat:
Your Boss Wants You To Take A Covid-19 Test. There's Software For That
As more employers reopen their offices, stores, and warehouses, a growing number of health tech companies are pitching smartphone apps and other tools to help them bring employees back to work safely in the Covid-19 era. The tools go far beyond the infrared thermometers and temperature checks that have dominated the conversation around safely reopening. The new wave of software products allows employers to direct their workers to get a Covid-19 test, clear them to return to work, track their symptoms, and trace the contacts of anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus. (Robbins, 6/4)
