In times of economic hardships, the idea of a large company bringing a significant number of jobs to an area tends to be cause for celebration. Many people have been negatively affected in the recent economic situations and left unemployed without much hope of gaining employment in the near future. When a job is found, it may not always be the most ideal situation, and some workers are so desperate for employment that they will occasionally allow their employee rights to be infringed upon. However, employee rights should always be upheld and whether it is with a small business or a large company, there are labor standards that must be met.
Recently, Florida residents were excited to learn that a large online company may be building a shipping warehouse in their state that could bring approximately 3,000 jobs to the area. The warehouse would use workers to pack and ship products that had been ordered from the online retailer. Not only would the potential deal bring jobs to many employment seekers, but the business would also cause a rise in the economy of the area.
While the economic side of the possible deal seems to be beneficial, there are some people that question the safety and employee treatment of such a facility. The online retailer has recently been under review for the way their shipping warehouses are conducted. Many employees and former employees from around the country have made complaints that the working conditions in the company's warehouses are less than comfortable. Reports of lack of air conditioning and being retained for security checks for significant amounts of time without pay have caused many to question the way these facilities are operated.
The company claims that one of their top priorities is employee safety. Should the deal be made with the retailer and jobs brought to Florida, it is important for workers to understand that they are entitled to their employee rights, which include safe working conditions and payment for wages earned. If a question does arise or an employee feels his or her rights are being infringed upon, seeking information dealing with Florida employment laws may be beneficial.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, "Amazon may bring 3,000 jobs, tough work conditions to Florida," Susan Thurston, June 17, 2013