Amazon boss Jeff Bezos could cover two weeks’ paid sick leave for all Amazon employees with less than 1 per cent of his personal fortune, new data claims.
Global consumer group SumOfUs estimated that it would cost $1.04 billion (£830 million) for the company’s entire global workforce of 798,000 people to take two weeks’ paid leave — a fraction of the Amazon founder’s $140bn (£112bn) reported net worth.
The claim comes in the week when hundreds of Amazon staff took strike action to protest various issues around the company’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, including limited sick pay.
Other concerns include a lack of protective equipment and poor warehouse cleaning practices.
Cases of Covid-19 have been reported in over half of Amazon’s US warehouses, and one worker has already died in California.
Meanwhile, the company is expected to announce record earnings today when it reports its financial results for the first three months of the year. It’s share price has also rocketed by 50 per cent during the pandemic as more people shop online during lockdown.We shouldn’t have to feel this afraid of going to work so we can keep food on our tables.
— United for Respect (@forrespect) April 28, 2020
Amazon is risking our health and the safety of our families. We deserve better!
What is it like to work during this pandemic? Share your story with us: https://t.co/CIyuGiT52Y pic.twitter.com/8UNjhrzD4s
Amazon has revised its sick leave policy in light of Covid-19, with workers who test positive for the virus or told to quarantine by a medical professional receiving up to two weeks of paid leave.