Amazon Sued for Not Following COVID-19 Prevention Protocols

With coronavirus cases continuing to surge in many parts of the country, employers are expected to adhere to strict health guidelines in order to keep their employees safe. But a new lawsuit from Amazon employees claims that the corporate giant has not followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols, according to a CNBC report.

In the lawsuit, workers in a New York facility claim that Amazon is engaging in sloppy “contact tracing” procedures in its Staten Island warehouse. Contact tracing is a protocol in which employers try to track down everyone who an infected employee has come in contact with to inform them of their potential exposure to the virus so they can be quarantined.

Contact tracing has been happening in South Carolina since March. In fact, the Palmetto State’s contact tracing model was praised by infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci before the U.S. Senate. But the number of coronavirus cases in South Carolina continues to rise. As the state reopens, it’s critical for employers to be vigilant in tracking down workers who were exposed to others with COVID-19 at work.

If you were diagnosed with the coronavirus after exposure at work, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation in South Carolina. However, legal questions about how workers’ comp and COVID-19 claims will be handled are still evolving. The best way to find out whether you could have a valid claim is by scheduling a free consultation with a knowledgeable South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer at Stewart Law Offices.

Call or contact us today for a free consultation.

South Carolina Workers’ Comp and the Coronavirus

For workers who were deemed essential during the pandemic, the risk of contracting the coronavirus is very real. Understandably, employees want to know if workers’ compensation will cover their medical bills and missed wages while they quarantine and/or recover from the illness.

Most South Carolina workers are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The key to obtaining benefits is proving that they were exposed to the illness while they were performing duties within the scope of their employment. With a contagious disease such as COVID-19, proving work-related exposure may be a challenge. That’s because an employee will have to establish that he or she more likely than not contracted the illness at work and not anywhere else that they have been, such as the grocery store, gas station, or bank.

Although it’s not clear how South Carolina will come down on the issue of workers’ comp and COVID-19, it’s a smart idea to start talking to a lawyer now if you believe you might have a claim.

Reach out to Stewart Law Offices today. Our experienced team of South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyers can listen to your story, evaluate the facts, and determine your legal options.

For a free consultation, call or contact us today.

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