Press Release  AG Healey Leads Multistate Group Urging Amazon and Whole Foods to Strengthen Worker Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic

Boston — Attorney General Maura Healey today led a coalition of 13 attorneys general in calling on Amazon and Whole Foods to strengthen measures to protect the health and safety of their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter sent to the companies, the attorneys general request updated information on several outstanding issues raised by the coalition in a previous letter sent March 25 that urged the companies to improve their paid leave policies. The letter asks Amazon and Whole Foods to provide the states with details of health and safety measures they have adopted, data about infections and deaths among their workers, evidence of their compliance with state paid sick leave laws, and more. 

“Amazon and Whole Foods must take every possible step to protect their employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AG Healey. “We again call on these companies to provide assurances that they are complying with state laws and federal guidance aimed at keeping essential workers safe during this crisis.”

The attorneys general write that they are alarmed by recent media reports about the companies that allege inadequate safety measures and sick leave policies, insufficient data about infections and deaths among their workers, and retaliation against workers who call attention to unsafe workplace conditions. In the wake of these ongoing media reports, the attorneys general urge the company to provide the following:

• A written response showing how the companies are complying with guidance and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prevent exposure and transmission of COVID-19, including by providing workers with adequate personal protective equipment, hand washing and hand sanitizer, and social distancing policies.
   
• A written response demonstrating how the companies are complying with state paid sick leave laws.
   
• A state-by-state breakdown for each company on the number of their workers who have been infected with and died from COVID-19. 
   
• A description of policies and procedures for notifying consumers and public health authorities of COVID-19 infections and deaths among Whole Foods employees. Many of the states’ consumer protection laws require businesses to provide this information to consumers.
   
• Assurances that workers will not be retaliated against for raising concerns about health and safety issues in Amazon and Whole Foods workplaces with management, the media, coworkers, or by filing complaints with relevant government agencies, and that all reports of retaliation will be investigated by the companies.
   
• An extension to the companies’ existing unlimited unpaid leave policies for as long as a state or federal state of emergency exists in each of the states.
   
• Generous paid leave policies as outlined in the states’ March 25 letter that align with requirements in the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act and provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for workers who must stay at home to care for children due to school closures or for themselves and family members if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, diagnosed with COVID-19, or quarantined.

Amazon and Whole Foods occupy a unique space during this crisis by providing groceries and necessary supplies to millions of Americans who now rely on online shopping more than ever before. The attorneys general write that due to the essential services they provide across the country, these companies have an even greater obligation to ensure their employees stay safe and healthy while working throughout the pandemic. 

AG Healey’s Fair Labor Division is responsible for enforcing state laws regulating the payment of wages, including minimum wage, overtime and earned sick time laws. Call the AG’s Fair Labor hotline at 617-727-3465 for more information on the state’s earned sick time laws, or file a complaint online if you think your rights have been violated. Read the AG’s FAQs on employee rights and employer obligations during the COVID-19 emergency and visit the AG’s COVID-19 resource page for information about how the AG’s Office can help during this crisis. 

Joining AG Healey in sending today’s letter are the attorneys general from Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

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