Three Amazon delivery drivers in Colorado sued the e-commerce giant last week alleging the corporate subjected them to such strict monitoring that they were forced to skip bathroom breaks or risk being disciplined.
The employees, certainly one of whom is an Iraq War veteran, said they were forced to urinate in bottles and even defecate in dog waste bags they kept inside their delivery trucks in violation of Colorado labor laws, the 16-page criticism filed in Denver District Court on May 22 shows.
“This case is about certainly one of the wealthiest and strongest firms on the earth, Amazon, maintaining work policies that require its delivery drivers … to restrain themselves from using the toilet susceptible to serious health consequences,” the criticism states.
“Amazon operates this scheme through harsh work quotas and elaborate tracking and workplace surveillance technology that make it unattainable for Amazon delivery drivers to meet basic human needs while on the job.”
The employees said they were forced to urinate in bottles and even defecate in dog waste bags they kept inside their delivery trucks. Gado via Getty Images
Colorado law requires employers to permit all staffers to take paid rest breaks for each 4 hours of labor, and the three drivers claimed that Amazon’s “pace-of-work policies” denied them these breaks.
“I fought for this country in Iraq, but I had a neater time going to the toilet in a combat zone than I did while working for Amazon,” driver Ryan Schilling said.
The criticism claims that trash cans in Amazon achievement centers “are continuously overflowing with bottles filled with urine that drivers have thrown away at the top of their shifts.”
The achievement centers at Amazon have been overflowing with bottles filled with urine that drivers throw away at the top of their shifts, the criticism claims. Corbis via Getty Images
The employees were even afraid to take bathroom breaks after they needed to do greater than urinate, in line with the suit.
“Twice I’ve needed to defecate so badly that I’ve had to make use of dog waste bags behind delivery vans,” Schilling said. “I knew that if I attempted to stop to go to a gas station, I’d get yelled at and possibly lose my job. What alternative do Amazon drivers have?”
Two of the drivers suing Amazon are women and have also alleged that the corporate’s poor working conditions are discriminatory to women who cannot as easily relieve themselves.
Colorado law requires employers to permit all staffers to take paid rest breaks for each 4 hours of labor. NurPhoto via Getty Images
“As a lady, I can’t just easily pee in a bottle,” plaintiff Leah Cross said. “After I worked for Amazon, I needed to bring a change of garments in case I peed my pants while attempting to hit Amazon’s delivery metrics. I used to be told I couldn’t even stop to choose up some sanitary products. With this lawsuit, I’m fighting for Amazon to treat humans like humans.”
The e-com behemoth contracts “Delivery Service Partners” (DSP) which employ the drivers, nonetheless, the delivery employees claim within the suit that the DSPs “are independent in name only.”
The partners “must acquiesce to Amazon’s control over nearly every aspect of their business,” the plaintiffs alleged.
Amazon employees said they were afraid to take bathroom breaks, in line with the suit. Denver Post via Getty Images
Amazon has repeatedly faced similar accusations from drivers and warehouse staff for years.
It initially denied the “pee-bottle” claim in 2021 and got here under fire as journalists spouted off examples they witnessed firsthand.
Shortly after the backlash, the corporate acknowledged that drivers “can and do have trouble finding restrooms” but blamed that on rural routes and restroom closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amazon didn’t immediately return a request for comment on the allegations, but a spokesperson for the corporate told 9NEWS that it encourages its delivery partners to support drivers by allowing them time for toilet breaks.
“We intend to make it clear that we encourage our Delivery Service Partners to support their drivers,” Sam Stephenson said in an announcement to the outlet. “That features giving drivers the time they need for breaks in between stops, providing a listing inside the Amazon Delivery app of nearby restroom facilities and gas stations, and constructing in time on routes to make use of the restroom or take longer breaks.”
The three drivers are represented by Towards Justice, Terrell Marshall Law Group LLC and Public Justice.
They’re suing for damages in addition to changes to Amazon’s polices to “allow their drivers the dignity of having the ability to meet their basic human needs.”
“It’s an ethical abomination that in 2023, people working at certainly one of the wealthiest and strongest firms within the history of the world must bring a change of garments to work in case they pee themselves,” Executive Director of Towards Justice David Seligman said in an announcement.
