Amazon is dealing with extra authorized bother for allegedly robbing supply drivers of their suggestions. The District of Columbia has sued Amazon over claims the corporate was “stealing” suggestions from Flex drivers. As the Federal Trade Commission argued final 12 months, DC claims Amazon modified its insurance policies in 2016 in order that it might use massive parts of drivers’ tricks to cowl base pay and operational prices. The firm not solely used “misleading” language in its response to anxious couriers however falsely informed clients that one hundred pc of suggestions would go drivers, in keeping with the District’s Office of the Attorney General.
DC acknowledged that Amazon had paid $61.7 million as a part of a settlement with the FTC. However, it stated the federal deal helped Amazon elude “appropriate accountability” that included punishment for the harm finished to shoppers. The Attorney General’s workplace is asking for civil penalties for each violation of the District’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act in addition to a courtroom order barring Amazon from implementing comparable practices sooner or later.
In an announcement to Engadget, Amazon maintained that the lawsuit is “without merit” and displays insurance policies modified in 2019. The tech big already paid the tricks to drivers as a part of the FTC deal, in keeping with a spokesperson.
Legal battles like this aren’t distinctive to Amazon. DoorDash confronted a DC lawsuit in 2019 over comparable accusations. The meals supply service reportedly used suggestions beneath $10 to switch couriers’ assured pay, however nonetheless implied that these have been bonuses. DoorDash revised its guidelines earlier that 12 months to deal with the complaints.
The timing of the lawsuit is lower than splendid for Amazon, to place it mildly. The firm simply launched a “thank my driver” function that lets Alexa customers within the US share their appreciation for the courier who dropped off their newest package deal. While it is purported to encourage drivers, the gratitude will solely be verbal normally — Amazon is simply handing out $5 rewards to drivers for the primary 1 million “thank yous.” As you may think, that may not go over properly at a time when Amazon has been accused of shortchanging drivers and imposing tough working circumstances.
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