Both North Carolina and Virginia employ many different types of workers at their fulfillment centers. These centers are spread throughout both states. Amazon also hires many drivers who use Amazon’s trucks to make pickups from the stores and facilities that have the items that are ordered – and to make deliveries to the people and businesses that place the orders.
What types of jobs do Amazon workers in North Carolina and Virginia perform?
Almost every type of job at an Amazon fulfillment center involves some type of manual labor. Even the less physically demanding jobs involve risks of injuries such as falling over any item left on the warehouse floors.
According to The Street, a financial publication, Amazon warehouses can be as large as one million square feet. The warehouses handle virtually everything home consumers want from groceries and everyday consumer goods to groceries to everything to furnish your home. They handle books, power tools, and other types of equipment. They even handle the forklifts that are used at Amazon warehouse.
It’s common for an Amazon warehouse to employ up to 1,500 full-time workers. Most employees work long shifts require physical labor and are fast-paced. Fast-paced workers are judged for accuracy and efficiency. Most Amazon fulfillment centers don’t have windows to reduce glare and manage extreme temperatures.
Some common Amazon fulfillment jobs include:
- Fulfillment center associate. These workers “receive, organize, and shelve new inventory; pick, pack, and load customer orders.” They may operate forklifts (after proper training). Most workers in this category use scanners to read barcodes and track products. The job requirements often include long shifts that include standing, lifting, pulling, and reaching. These associates push dollies and carts that weigh up to 60 pounds. Workers should be comfortable on “scaffolds and mezzanines at heights of up to 40 feet.”
- Sortation center associate. This job is similar to fulfillment center associate work but it’s “earlier in Amazon’s logistics chain.” The job involved unloading and sorting inventory, “preparing customer orders for delivery, stacking merchandise on pallets; and using scanners, computers, and handheld tag printers along the way.” The job involves heavy lifting, standing for most of their shift, and working at high heights. Like many other jobs, the tasks can be very repetitive.
- Delivery station associate. This is the job on Amazon’s logistics chain before orders go out to customers. These workers “receive and prepare inventory from truck deliveries, use computers and handheld devices to scan and sort items, and prepare customer orders for delivery.” The work involves long shifts on one’s feet, manual labor, and working high above the warehouse floor.
- XL Warehouse Associate. This job category is similar to the others identified above. The difference is that the workers work with larger products like furniture, appliances, and televisions. Some workers may be “trained and certified to operate pallet drivers, forklifts, and other powered industrial trucks.” These workers need to lift up to 49 pounds without help. They also need to be able to move heavier items with the help of specific equipment and methods. The physical work involves long shifts, standing, reaching hauling, pulling, reaching, and bending.
There are many warehouse jobs that involve working with computers to keep account of the inventory and working along the latest robotics and other technology.
The products only get to and from the warehouse with the help of Amazon truck drivers who have their own set of injury risks.
What types of injuries do Amazon workers suffer?
Workers at Amazon fulfillment centers can suffer a broad range of injuries including the following:
- Back, neck, knee, and shoulder injuries
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Head trauma including traumatic brain injuries
- Vision and hearing loss
- Internal organ damage
- Infections
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Amputation/loss of limb
- Many other injuries
What benefits are injured Amazon employees entitled to claim?
Amazone employees who are injured on the job in North Carolina or Virginia have the right to claim the following workers’ compensation benefits:
- All your medical bills for as long as you need medical help. These bills include the cost of ER care, medical transport, hospitalizations, surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, vocational therapy, other types of rehabilitative care, medications, and assistive devices.
- Temporary total disability. This is generally 2/3rds of your average weekly wage while you can’t work per your treating doctor, or are otherwise under an ongoing, open Award for Benefits.
- Temporary partial disability. If you remain on light duty and you return to a job that earns less than your pre-injury wage. You are entitled to be paid weekly 2/3rds of the difference between your new, lower rate, and your pre-injury pay rate.
- Permanent Partial disability benefits. If you qualify, you can receive additional work loss benefits. We’ll explain how you qualify, what amount you should receive, and how long you’ll receive the payments.
Injured Amazon warehouse workers may also be entitled to vocational retraining if they can’t return to their prior job duties.
What arguments might Amazon use to try to deny or limit a workers’ compensation claim?
Amazon could try to deny your injury claim by arguing that you weren’t working during the scope of your employment when you became injured or that your injuries are due to a pre-existing condition.
In most cases, the dispute with Amazon employees who file workers’ compensation claims is that they’ll try to rush you back to work before you’re ready. Amazon. after an initial amount of treatment, (depending on the type of injury you have) will likely say your injuries have healed well enough for you to do your job (fully or with restrictions). The doctors you initially treat with will be doctors that Amazon hires. If you are fortunate to come under the care of doctors who are actually looking out for your best interests, if this means keeping you out of work and/or recommending expensive medical procedures, Amazon may request that you undergo an independent medical examination.
Amazon may also assign a nurse case manager who will review your medical treatments and report back every missed appointment or failure to follow medical advice to Amazon – to try to terminate your benefits on the claim that you’re not doing your best to improve your health.
At Joe Miller Law Ltd., our North Carolina and Virginia workers’ compensation attorney has been a strong advocate for injured workers for more than 35 years. We work with your doctors and our network of doctors to verify your injuries, what medical care you need, how long you need care, and whether you have a permanent disability. We’re skilled at anticipating the arguments the employer insurance company lawyers will make to try to deny or limit your claim.
Workers’ compensation lawyer Joe Miller is respected by former clients, insurance companies, and the legal community for his strong advocacy for his clients. Call attorney Joe Miller, Esq., at 888-667-8295 or fill out my online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
Our law firm does have a way for you to provide your details of your accident and injuries if you simply want to do that electronically from the comfort and safety of your home at any time of day or night. To utilize this service, simply click here: New Electronic Case Review.
We’ll get back to you, typically within 24 hours to provide our response as to whether your situation is one where we can provide you with legal representation. If we require more information, we’ll contact you and ask for that information in order to make that determination as to whether we are the best folks to assist you. If we ultimately determine that we cannot represent or assist you, we will not leave you high and dry. We’ll do our best to provide you with other resources to assist you.