Nearlytwo weeksafter the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update their covid-19 isolation and quarantine guidelines — a decision some experts called“reckless and dangerous”—the nation ’s secondly - big private employer has decided that a change was necessary for their pandemic reply policy , as well .
In a notice to U.S. worker on Friday , which the company provided to Gizmodo on Saturday , Amazon recite employee that it would be boil down the paid leave it provides to people who test positivist for covid-19 and those who are exposed to someone with the computer virus after reviewing the CDC ’s new guidance . The company ’s quarantine and isolation period are now one workweek — seven calendar days — long , during which worker will be provided with up to 40 hours of paid leave .
The notice did not cite a negative covid-19 trial in social club to bring back to work . We ’ve reached out to Amazon to clear up whether this will be required .
Photo: Artur Widak/NurPhoto (Getty Images)
Amazon previously provided actor with 10 days of paid leave . In fact , when the covid-19 paid farewell policy was put into stead in 2020 , the company in the beginning allow workers with up to14 day off . The most late notice was report by theWall Street JournalandEngadget .
According to the notice , the newfangled insurance policy will go into effect “ like a shot ” and apply to all employees in the U.S. regardless of whether they ’ve been inoculate . Nonetheless , Amazon say that “ additional leave choice ” are available to workers who still have covid-19 after one week .
“ As we have throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , we proceed to work closely with public health authorities and our own medical experts to determine the most efficacious shipway to keep our employees and our communities secure , ” the company told Gizmodo . “ We continue to trust that the best mode to protect our employees and communities from COVID-19 is through vaccination . ”
Amazon added that it had hosted more than 1,800 free on - site vaccination events across its adroitness in the U.S.
The policy is in line with newCDC guidanceissued in later December state that people with covid-19 need to isolate for only five day if they ’re asymptomatic . Those who have been disclose to covid-19 must only quarantine for five days , the agency said . The new guidance has beenheavily criticizedby experts in recent days for “ confusing the populace ” and for not ask people to test negatively charged in guild to leave closing off and quarantine , the latter of which could increase transmission of the virus .
This is yet another notable modification in Amazon ’s covid-19 response and policies for worker in late weeks . In December , in luminance of asurge in infectionsin the U.S. colligate to the newest omicron variant , it required its warehouse prole to dissemble up again even if they were vaccinate .
Amazon ’s announcement come Clarence Shepard Day Jr. afterWalmart , the tumid private employer in the country , also cut its paid ill leave-taking from two weeks to one workweek for mass with covid-19 or those who have to quarantine because of exposure . Individuals who stay grisly after their ante up leave-taking ends can potentially obtain “ additional covid - bear on wage for up to 26 weeks,”Reuters report .
The decisions by Amazon and Walmart may open up the floodgates and inspire other employers to institute similar policies . While the economy is for sure of import , a widespread alteration in policies may wedge workers to make a difficult choice : Go into work unbalanced or do n’t get paid . In the goal , though , refuse to back up proletarian that are sick or maybe sick and countenance the virus diffuse could cost us all more in the long run .
AmazonCOVID-19Criticism of AmazonHealthQuarantineWalmart
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