Amazon eases warehouse masks rule as soon as once more | Engadget

Amazon’s warehouse staff will not be required to put on masks within the office anymore, as long as they’re absolutely vaccinated. According to The Wall Street Journal, the e-commerce large advised staff in a memo that it has eased its masks necessities because of the “sharp decline in COVID-19 cases across the country over the past weeks.” It additionally talked about the growing vaccination charges within the US as “a positive sign” of its return “to normal operations.”

The firm required all staff to put on masks once more in December following a spike of COVID instances within the US attributable to the extremely transmissible Omicron variant. That got here half a yr after it allowed absolutely vaccinated people to unmask whereas working, which some staff noticed as a premature move. Amazon made its resolution in the identical week some states began rolling back their masks mandates and different pandemic restrictions. Walmart has dropped its masks rule for vaccinated staff on the identical time. 

In addition to easing its masks mandate, Amazon can also be ending paid depart for staff who contract COVID-19 if they are not vaccinated. Workers have to be finished with their second jab by March 18th to be certified for paid depart. How staff really feel about this transformation in guidelines stays to be seen, however Amazon has a historical past of clashing with its staff with regards to COVID-related tips. In 2020, staff at its Staten Island warehouse sued the corporate, accusing it of failing to comply with tips said by the CDC and the federal government of New York. Then in 2021, Amazon agreed to pay $500,000 after the California legal professional common discovered that it hid its true COVID-19 case numbers from staff.