Does Amazon Offer Workers’ Comp?
Most injured workers in Florida, including Amazon workers, are entitled to substantial benefits.
Yes, Amazon offers workers' comp, but navigating the process can be complicated. Speed, perhaps the most marketable aspect of Amazon, is also perhaps its most dangerous aspect. This speed obsession often leads to trauma injuries and occupational diseases. People who feel pressured to 'work faster' may overlook their surroundings and stack boxes unsafely high. Furthermore, people who repetitively bend, stretch, kneel, and stoop without sufficient breaks often develop repetitive stress injuries.
Workers’ compensation is a state-run program. But Amazon’s lawyers often fight these claims tooth and nail. So, while Amazon offers workers’ comp, these benefits are not always available. An injured worker needs a Tampa workers’ compensation lawyer to obtain maximum benefits in these injury cases. These benefits usually include medical bill payments and lost wage replacement.
The Danger of Working at Amazon
All warehouse work is strenuous, and Amazon fulfillment centers are like warehouses on steroids. Many of these fulfillment centers are like three or four warehouses in one. Furthermore, to maintain speed, many workers have high daily quotas. This combination is a recipe for serious injuries.
Additionally, Amazon sometimes cuts back on worker safety measures, such as back braces, that slow workers down. Amazon and other employers have a threefold duty in this area. They must provide adequate safety equipment, train workers in its use, and emphasize its use.
Especially in Florida, many Amazon warehouse workers are LEP (limited English proficiency) workers. Either because they do not understand safety regulations or they fear reprisal from immigration officials, these workers are injured at a disproportionate rate and file claims at a lower rate.
The danger of working at Amazon is a longstanding problem. As far back as 2018, the National Council for Occupational Health and Safety placed Amazon on its “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.
We can go back even further. 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.
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 does not immediately send injured workers to doctors. Getting medical help soon after an injury is crucial to a workers’ compensation claim. When employees are not allowed to do so, it makes winning a claim even harder for a Tampa workers’ compensation lawyer.
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.
Rely on a Hard-Hitting Hillsborough County Lawyer
Victims need and deserve compensation for their serious injuries. For a confidential consultation with a board certified workers’ compensation lawyer in Tampa, contact the Rooth Law Firm. We routinely handle matters throughout the Sunshine State.