Amazon has a reputation for having a very strict attendance policy for its warehouse workers. While some flexibility is given for excused absences, employees are expected to maintain excellent attendance records to remain employed.
What is Amazon’s attendance policy?
Amazon uses a point-based attendance system to track absences and tardiness. Employees are given a certain number of points that they can accumulate before termination:
- 1 point for missing a full day
- 0.5 points for arriving late or leaving early
- 0.5 points for taking unpaid time off
The exact number of points allowed before termination varies by location, but ranges from 10-20 points. Employees accrue 1 point for every 60 hours worked. So for a typical 40 hour work week, it would take 6 weeks to accrue 1 point. Points expire after 180 days.
Absences are only excused if they qualify under Amazon’s guidelines for medical leave, military leave, jury duty, bereavement, or natural disasters. Documentation must be provided in these cases. Unexcused absences are given points.
How strict is the point system in practice?
While the policy may seem flexible on paper, many employees report that it is very difficult to avoid accumulating points in real-world conditions. Reasons it is considered strict include:
- Points are given for single days missed, so one illness can result in multiple points.
- Traffic delays, vehicle issues, and other common problems can easily lead to tardiness points.
- Excused absences are difficult to get approved, even with a doctor’s note.
- Scheduling changes and mandatory overtime make routines difficult.
- 10-20 points overall is not much wiggle room for emergencies.
Some employees have complained about being terminated over what they felt were reasonable absences. One report described an employee let go for missing work to be with his pregnant wife who was having complications. Another described someone terminated for chronic migraines.
What about time off policies?
In additional to attendance points, Amazon employees have limited time off allowances. This can also impact attendance records.
Full-time warehouse employees receive the following time off:
- Unpaid time: up to 20 hours per quarter
- Vacation: 48 hours accrued per year
- Sick leave: 36 hours accrued per year
Taking unpaid or vacation time results in 0.5 attendance points. Employees may not have enough accrued time off to cover emergencies that come up, forcing them to take unexcused absences.
What are the consequences of reaching max points?
If an employee reaches the maximum amount of points allowed at their location, they will be terminated. There are two main consequences of being terminated for attendance:
- Ineligibility for rehire for 1 year. The employee cannot apply or be contracted for any position with Amazon for 12 months.
- Impact to the ability to collect unemployment benefits. Being fired for attendance violations is considered employee misconduct, which can make an individual ineligible for unemployment.
Additionally, the job termination remains on the employee’s permanent record. This can impact future job applications.
Does Amazon commonly terminate for attendance?
Yes, available data indicates Amazon terminates thousands of warehouse employees each year for attendance. For example:
| Year | Location | Terminations for Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Baltimore, MD | 600 |
| 2019 | Phoenix, AZ | 300 |
| 2018 | Minneapolis, MN | 150 |
One report estimated the attendance firing rate across 110 Amazon warehouses was around 10% annually. With high turnover already, attendance terminations represent a significant portion of Amazon’s churn.
What do Amazon employees say about the policy?
Many Amazon warehouse employees have voiced concerns about the attendance system:
- They feel constantly worried about hitting the maximum points, making work more stressful.
- Scheduling changes and overtime mandates make it hard to manage commutes, childcare, and other regular commitments that impact attendance.
- The system feels disproportionately harsh compared to white collar jobs. There is often less leniency for blue collar workers.
- Point targets seem unreasonable and not reflective of real life emergencies.
- It diminishes loyalty when employees feel easily replaceable over minor issues.
Some have argued a more humane attendance system would improve morale, reduce turnover, and preventlosing good employees over relatively small problems.
What is Amazon’s response?
Amazon has defended its attendance policies as necessary to meet customer demands efficiently. As one of the largest employers in the US, the company argues it requires standardized systems to manage its enormous workforce. Amazon offers the following arguments:
- Attendance points offer transparency over expectations and discipline procedures.
- The system allows for reasonable accommodation of life circumstances.
- Different regions are allowed to tailor point thresholds as needed.
- Production goals require all hands on deck.
- Employees are clearly informed of the policy upon hiring.
Amazon claims it would not be able to meet Prime shipping promises or inventory needs without strict adherence to schedules. The attendance system provides workforce reliability.
How does the policy compare to similar companies?
Amazon is not the only warehouse and shipping company with strict attendance guidelines. However, some comparisons can be made:
| Company | Attendance Policy |
|---|---|
| Amazon | 10-20 points allowed before termination |
| Walmart | 9 attendance occurrences allowed over 6 months |
| UPS | No more than 3 absences in 30 days |
While companies like Walmart and UPS also have strict policies, Amazon stands out for its short time window before termination. For example, an employee could hit 20 points at Amazon faster than 9 occurrences at Walmart.
What legal actions have been taken?
Some Amazon employees who were fired for attendance have sought legal recourse over the policy. Lawsuits against Amazon argue:
- The system is inflexible towards legitimate needs like medical issues.
- It fails to account for disabilities requiring accommodation.
- Termination causes substantial hardship for workers.
- The policy disproportionately impacts minorities.
However, Amazon has typically prevailed in lawsuits over attendance, since workers are informed of the policy upon hiring. Still, there are ongoing efforts to challenge the system through class action lawsuits and legislation at the state level.
Conclusion
Amazon’s warehouse attendance policy is considered extremely strict compared to other blue collar employers. The rapid point accrual system leaves little room for emergencies or life challenges. While Amazon argues the policy is necessary for operational efficiency, workers claim it creates a high-stress, punitive environment. The conflict reveals the tensions between productivity demands and worker welfare in a mega-corporation. However, given Amazon’s financial success, it is unlikely major changes are on the horizon. Employees will continue facing strict attendance expectations barring any successful legal actions or union efforts in coming years.