Frustrated Amazon employee emails Jeff Bezos over pay issues. His response is stunning
Sending an email to Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO (at the time) of Amazon and one of the richest persons in the world, to complain about their pay may seem daunting for a worker. Amazon warehouse employee, Tara Jones, wrote to Bezos that she was underpaid after the finance team messed up. The worker from Oklahoma was left stunned by the CEO's response. She also ended up doing good for her fellow workers as well, as per a New York Times report.
Here's What Tara Jones Learnt
Back in 2020, Jones found out that she had been underpaid. Jones told the New York Times that about $90 was missing from her total pay of $540. Despite reporting the underpayment, the mistake kept happening and it put financial pressure on Jones who was caring for her newborn and attending classes at a community college.
When frustration hit the limit, Jones wrote an email directly to the company's founder. According to The Times, which reviewed the email, Jones wrote, “I’m behind on bills, all because the pay team messed up." I’m crying as I write this email," explaining her situation.
While it seemed hopeless, Jones' complaint was noticed by the billionaire. Her email eventually set off an internal investigation into Amazon, which found that Jones wasn't the only one getting underpaid.
As per the confidential investigation report, Amazon had been underpaying new parents, workers dealing with medical crises, and those on leave, The Times reported. It was found that about 179 of the company's other warehouses suffered from these problems.
A year ago, Tara Jones, an Amazon warehouse worker, looked at her paycheck and noticed she was underpaid by a significant chunk: $90 out of $540.
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 25, 2021
The mistake kept repeating after she reported it. She grew so exasperated she wrote an email to Jeff Bezos.https://t.co/kCo4tEc9nc pic.twitter.com/32YKytuX4M
After Jones, another worker came forward claiming that his disability payments were abruptly stopped. The warehouse worker from Tennessee, James Watts, told The Times that his car was repossessed and he had to sell his wedding ring to survive.
The Amazon HR told The Times that some workers who were on medical leave were automatically fired after the attendance software mistook their leave for absence.
Computers are hiring, rating and firing millions of Amazon workers. Guess who's losing out? https://t.co/gX4wyGYTCx
— Bloomberg (@business) June 28, 2021
In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told The Independent that the company was disappointed to learn about the issues that the workers were facing.
Nantel added that Amazon regretted Watts’s situation and that it was working to simplify the process of navigating leaves.
Furthermore, Bethany Reyes, an Amazon HR executive who was charged with fixing the company's leave system, told The Times that the company was focusing on fixing the "pain points" and "pay issues".
Amazon's Human Resource Problem
During the pandemic, Amazon faced major backlash for its poor handling of working conditions. Hundreds of employees from Amazon’s corporate offices and warehouses protested by taking sick leaves at the time. Even Human Rights group Amnesty International issued a public statement in support of the workers demanding Bezos to address the employees’ concerns.
Amnesty International calls on Jeff Bezos to address Amazon employees’ concerns about working conditions https://t.co/ysXikYo7RE by @AngelAuYeung pic.twitter.com/CbiNX4ORw8
— Forbes (@Forbes) April 24, 2020
In his final letter as the CEO to shareholders, Bezos wrote that Amazon needs to “do a better job” for its employees. However, he also pushed back against criticism of the company's work practices arguing that the lowest-paid Amazon worker made more than 40 million people in the US.
Shortly after, Bezos stepped down as CEO and Andy Jassy, a longtime executive, took over. Jassy pledged to improve the company's systems and turn Amazon into the 'Earth's best employer'.
