Amazon to roll out mask, temperature checks next week

In response to stiff criticism, Amazon.com plans to roll out temperature checks and face masks for staff at all its U.S. and European warehouses and Whole Foods locations next week, Reuters learned exclusively.

Conway G.

Gittens has the details.

Under intense pressure to do more to protect its employees during a pandemic, Amazon said Thursday it will start doing temperature checks and providing face masks for all staff on the front lines starting next week.

Amazon told Reuters exclusively of its plan to safeguard workers at all its U.S. and European warehouses plus Whole Foods stores.

It will start testing hundreds of thousands of employees a day for fevers, using no-contact thermometers at site entrances.

Any employee with a fever of more than 100.4 Fahrenheit will be sent home.

Amazon has faced fierce criticism from some union and elected officials after workers from at least 19 of its warehouses tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

There's been walkouts by a small number of warehouse staff.

A group of workers at Whole Foods called for a sick out to protest what they describe as lack of concern for their health, as well as inadequate compensation.

Besides temperature checking and face masks, Amazon will use machine-learning software to monitor whether employees are keeping safe distances during their shifts.

Facing a worker shortage and a surge in orders, Amazon recently announced it would hire 100,000 new workers.

As of Thursday, it has filled more than 80,000 of those jobs and said it plans to spend $350 million more than originally planned to cover pay raises through April.