The tech giant Amazon has sent an internal memo to its workers saying that it will no longer be offering them seven days of paid leave should they be inflicted with the disease.
Instead, the company has said that employees will be forced to take five days of unpaid leave, having the option of using their own sick days.
During the heavy pandemic period, Amazon had provided its workers with 14 days of paid leave should they test positive for COVID, with that period being cut down to half going in accordance with the advice provided by the health officials. Now the company has pointed out that should anyone come down with the disease, they have the option to request paid time off with the submission of a written form.
Additionally, workers will no longer be able to take time off when waiting for the results of their COVID-19 tests, while this new policy is in effect for all workers, regardless of their vaccination status.
Furthermore, the company is putting the brakes on its program that incentivised its employees to get vaccinated by giving them $40 for each booster shot and won’t be sending out notices for any positive cases inside the workplace “unless required to do so by law.”
Mask requirements in the office were put to an end by Amazon last February.
“The sustained easing of the pandemic, ongoing availability of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, and updated guidance from public health authorities, all signal we can continue to safely adjust to our pre-COVID policies,” the company said in the notice, according to CNBC.
