Workers’ Comp for Amazon Workers |

Amazon workers who get hurt on the job may be entitled to compensation, but the company makes it difficult to receive those benefits.

Thousands of people place orders on Amazon every day. For customers, the service is a good one. They simply have to choose a product, click a button, and within just a few days that item is at their door. Sometimes, the product is there the very next day. However, the same speedy service that Amazon is known for is putting the workers in the company’s warehouses at risk of serious injury.

When Amazon workers are injured on the job, they are entitled to workers’ compensation that can help with their medical expenses and lost income. Amazon, though, has become notorious for making it extremely difficult for workers to claim the benefits they need.

The Danger of Working at Amazon

Working in any warehouse is strenuous, and the case of Amazon fulfillment centers is no different. At these centers, workers generally stand in one spot and bend down to pick up products and then lift those products above their heads to place them somewhere else so the order can be processed. These workers are also expected to hit certain quotas, or scan and place a certain number of products during their shift.

This process is what allows Amazon to get their products out to customers so quickly, but it is detrimental to workers. Workers are trained on how to perform their job safely, such as squatting and bending with their legs instead of twisting their back to lift heavy objects. Unfortunately, these safety practices take longer, making it difficult for workers to meet their quotas. Many workers claim they have to risk injury or risk losing their job.

The danger of working at Amazon is nothing new. In 2018, the National Council for Occupational Health and Safety placed Amazon on their “Dirty Dozen” list. This list details the companies that put workers at risk due to unsafe practices, and Amazon was at the top of the list. In 2017, three Amazon workers were actually killed on the job within five weeks of each other and at three different locations. Since 2013, seven Amazon workers have died on the job, according to the Dirty Dozen list.

Why is it Hard for Amazon Workers to Receive Workers’ Comp?

In Florida, all workers who are hurt on the job are entitled to claim workers’ compensation, with very few exceptions. This should be no different for Amazon workers, but these employees have a major obstacle to overcome.

Amazon does not generally write up accident reports, and there are even stories of employees being retaliated against for seeking medical help. Getting medical help soon after an injury is crucial to a workers’ compensation claim, but when employees are not allowed to, it makes filing a claim extremely difficult. This is what makes it so difficult for Amazon workers to claim the benefits they deserve.

Employers disputing an employee’s claim to workers’ compensation is not something that is exclusive to Amazon. Many employers do this because they want to keep more of their profits and do not want to see their insurance rates increase as a result of too many injuries. When this is the case at any place of work, injured workers should speak to an attorney for help.

A Florida Workers’ Comp Attorney Can Help With Your Claim

If you have been injured on the job and your employer is disputing your workers’ compensation claim, call our New Port Richey workers’ compensation lawyer at Rooth Law Firm. Attorney Joseph Rooth knows how to hold employers and insurance companies accountable when workers are hurt on the job, and he will help you claim the compensation you need. Call him today at (727) 849-3400 to schedule a consultation so we can start reviewing your case.