Following news reports about complaints by some employees, Amazon and Whole Foods are being asked to share details about how they are protecting workers from the coronavirus.
The request comes in a letter dated Monday from 13 attorneys general’s offices, including those in D.C. and Maryland.
The letter urges Amazon and Whole Foods to spell out exactly what they are doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and give a state-by-state breakdown of how many employees have been diagnosed with it and how many have died from it.
The letter also calls on the companies to provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for employees who have the virus or have symptoms, have to quarantine, have a family member in one of those situations or have young children home from school who they have to take care of.
An earlier letter, sent March 25, focused on the issue of paid leave. It was signed by 15 attorneys general, including those in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
In response to the most recent letter, an Amazon spokesperson released the following statement to WTOP:
“Safety is our top priority and we are committed to ensuring a clean and safe workplace. We’ve implemented over 150 significant process changes — from enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures to new efforts like disinfectant spraying. We’ve also distributed personal protective gear like masks across our entire operations network. We’ll continue to invest in safety, pay, and benefits for our teams who are playing an invaluable role in getting items to communities around the world.”
- Sign up for WTOP alerts
- Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Coronavirus FAQ: What you need to know
- Coronavirus resources: Get and give help in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Giant: Illegal scanning device found in self-checkout at DC store
- Unexpected result of working from home? Survey says some feel closer to their co-workers
- Bowser will continue methodical approach to DC reopening
- Musk becomes champion for businesses defying shutdown orders
Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.
