Amazon is in trouble again and may face a maximum fine

According to the latest news from foreign media, the US workplace safety regulator said that Amazon warehouses seriously exceeded the production quota assigned to workers and failed to provide adequate medical care to injured employees, thus putting its large group of workers at risk.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that workers at Amazon's warehouse in Logan Township, New Jersey , suffered neck and back injuries due to long-term physical discomfort caused by work . The agency said Amazon failed to ensure that injured employees received adequate treatment.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (hereinafter referred to as the U.S. Department of Labor) said it had recommended to the local court that Amazon be fined $15,625. Although the amount is not high, it is already the maximum fine allowed by relevant U.S. laws.

It is understood that Amazon now has 15 days to choose whether to pay the fine or appeal to the review committee.

Since January this year , the U.S. Department of Labor has fined Amazon a total of approximately $150,000 for allegedly creating dangerous working conditions or failing to strictly record work-related injuries in warehouses in multiple states across the country .

Separately, a local worker advocacy group said on Friday it had filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of employees at an Amazon warehouse near St. Louis, Missouri, alleging that the online retail giant imposed excessive workloads on employees and that they were mistreated by Amazon's medical staff.

Amazon's critics have long accused the company of prioritizing profits over the safety of its workers , requiring them to forgo breaks to meet demanding quotas.

In response to this situation, Amazon said in a statement provided by a spokesperson that it takes worker safety very seriously and plans to appeal the U.S. Department of Labor 's subpoena. The company said its global recorded injury rate has improved significantly since 2019.

Regarding the Missouri complaint, Amazon said it welcomes inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor to inspect the "clean and safe" warehouse . It also claimed that the employee injury rate at the Missouri warehouse is well below the industry average : it has improved by more than 55% since 2019.

"The vast majority of employees at this facility said in anonymous surveys that they feel safe at work and believe their managers are always looking for ways to further improve safety," Amazon said .

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