- Amazon has won a key legal battle as a Washington state lawsuit over warehouse worker safety is dismissed.
- Judge found insufficient evidence that Amazon’s productivity demands endangered workers’ health.
OUR TAKE
Washington state lawsuit alleging unsafe working conditions at Amazon warehouses has been dismissed for lack of evidence, marking a significant legal victory for Amazon. The lawsuit, brought by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, claimed that Amazon’s high productivity demands posed health risks to its workers. However, after a three-day investigation that identified potential hazards, the judge ruled that the evidence did not support the claims of a dangerous working environment. This decision could set a precedent for future cases and influence the regulatory framework for other companies, particularly as states such as California and New York consider legislation to curb excessive productivity demands in the workplace.
–Heidi Luo, BTW reporter
What happened
A Washington state lawsuit accusing Amazon of unsafe working conditions in its warehouses has been dismissed for lack of evidence. Judge Stephen Pfeifer of the state’s Bureau of Industrial Insurance Appeals ruled after a year-long hearing that the evidence presented did not meet the legal standards necessary to support the claims.
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries initially cited Amazon for setting overly rapid productivity goals that posed health risks to workers at its various facilities. Following these citations, Amazon contested the findings and took the matter to the state’s Office of Industrial Insurance Appeals.
“We appreciate that the court took a hard look at the facts about how we prioritise the health and safety of our employees, recognised the progress we’ve made, and vacated all of the citations at the heart of this case,” Amazon said in an emailed statement.
Department of Labour and Industries spokesman Matt Ross said the agency intends to appeal the ruling. “Our investigation found that Amazon failed to protect its workers,” Ross said. “We dispute the judge’s characterization of the facts and his interpretation of the law.”
Also read: OpenAI and Microsoft face lawsuits over AI copyright infringement
Also read: Samsung workers strike for better pay and benefits
Why it’s important
The allegations stemmed from a 2021 investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. Investigators spent three days observing more than 50 workers performing various tasks and found potential hazards in nearly every task observed.
Workers reported frequent pain, with about 40% experiencing discomfort in the week prior to the survey. Despite these findings, the judge concluded that the state had not provided sufficient evidence to prove that Amazon’s work practices were dangerous.
The Labour Department’s investigation alleged that Amazon’s demanding work environment, characterised by 10-hour shifts with mandatory overtime and fast-paced work, exposed workers to potential injuries including back, shoulder, wrist and knee damage.
The decision is a victory for Amazon, which has long defended its warehouse safety protocols in the face of increasing regulatory scrutiny. In 2022, federal regulators accused Amazon of exposing employees to a variety of musculoskeletal disorders and failing to provide adequate medical care, allegations that Amazon subsequently appealed.
In response to concerns about excessive productivity demands, states such as California, New York, Minnesota and others are enacting or considering new laws to ensure that productivity quotas do not interfere with legally mandated breaks.
