In a recent decision, California fined Amazon $5.9 million for breaking the state’s Warehouse Quota Law and putting the safety of its workers at risk. Passed in 2022, the law forbids employers from issuing quotas preventing employees from taking their meal and rest periods. It also requires employers to provide employees with a complete written description of required performance quotas.
Who are the workers protected?
The Warehouse Quota Law covers all workers who are:
- Numbering one hundred or more who work in one warehouse
- 1,000 or more workers spread out over multiple sites in California
The law also covers employees of staffing agencies whose employers dictate the terms and conditions of their employment.
What can employees do if their employer is not compliant?
Covered employees can file a complaint or an individual wage claim if their quotas prevent them from taking meals or rest breaks. Employers are also barred from firing an employee who fails to meet an undisclosed quota or a quota preventing meal and rest breaks.
What if a quota results in an injury?
California Labor Code mandates that employers pay workers’ compensation for any employee injured while performing their jobs. The injury must have:
- resulted directly from work related to the job
- not a result of intoxication
- not self-inflicted
Employees may consider seeking legal counsel if they cannot claim this benefit. Time is vital in reporting and filing a claim, as California has a one-year statute of limitations for filing workers’ compensation claims.