Amazon will pay the State of California $500,000 in a settlement for violating a law that requires companies to inform their employees of new cases of covid-19 in the workplace. This was reported on the website of the State Attorney's Office.
“Today's decision, the first of its kind, will make sure that Amazon adheres to the rules in relation to tens of thousands of warehouse employees in California. Most importantly, Californians have the right to know about possible exposure to the CORONAVIRUS in order to protect themselves, their families and their social circles.
Amazon spokeswoman Barbara Agreit, in turn, said that the company will soon solve the problem with notifications. Amazon has already spent more than $15 billion on employee safety, she said, and "will continue to do so in the coming months and years."
The amount that Amazon will pay is significantly more than the fines for violating the rules introduced due to COVID-19 issued at the state level, the Los Angeles Times notes. In particular, in 2020, the California division of labor protection fined the company $1,870, $935 for each violation.