Exhaustion, Pain Push Some Amazon Warehouse Employees To Seek Unpaid Breaks, Study Reveals

In a recent study, many Amazon.com Inc AMZN warehouse employees in the U.S. have reported taking unpaid leave due to physical exhaustion or pain resulting from their work duties.

The University of Illinois Chicago's research revealed that 69% of the surveyed workers opted for unpaid time off to recuperate. Among these, 34% reported taking such breaks on three or more occasions, Bloomberg reports.

Also Read: Amazon's AI And Robotics Progress Accelerates Warehouse Efficiency and Safety

The study, which reflected a 98-question online survey, garnered responses from 1,484 warehouse employees spread across 451 facilities in 42 states. The survey, carried out between April and August, aimed to gauge the percentage of workers who took time off in the preceding month. 

While critics argue that Amazon's work environment pushes employees to their limits, leading to preventable injuries, Amazon counters these claims. The company emphasizes its commitment to worker safety and highlights its efforts to automate repetitive tasks, aiming to reduce injury rates, according to Bloomberg. 

Notably, 63% of the surveyed workers acknowledged Amazon's prioritization of safety. However, Beth Gutelius, the research director at the center, pointed out that despite these safety measures, many workers still face injuries. 

The study also highlighted the mental toll of working in Amazon warehouses. Over half of the respondents admitted to feeling burnout, with the percentage increasing with job tenure. 

Sanjay Pinto, co-author of the study, emphasized the need for systemic changes in Amazon's approach to worker safety. 

Amazon has recently seen growing unionization attempts to improve worker pay and conditions.

Price Action: AMZN shares traded lower by 5.62% at $121.32 on the last check Wednesday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.