Amazon Truck Drivers Facing Retaliation for Expressing Vehicle Safety Concerns

At Romero Law, our California employment law attorneys realize it is well-known that Amazon drivers here and across the nation operate from commercial vehicles owned by both the online retail giant and fleets of trucks and vans hired by companies called Delivery Service Providers (DSP), contracted by Amazon.

The DSP network is made up of at least 2,000 contracted delivery firms and 115,000 drivers in the U.S., often distinguishable by blue Amazon-branded vans. Because the DSP network is run by partners, drivers and managers are raising concerns that the working environment and management quality vary greatly between the contracted services.

A CNBC article confirmed those concerns, interviewing current and previous Amazon drivers around the U.S. who said managers routinely ask(ed) them to bypass daily inspections and not report certain types of problems with their vans.

Unfortunately, when Amazon drivers voice their concerns about driving unsafe vehicles, they face retribution from their employers that retaliate by forfeiting their working shifts or taking away their delivery routes altogether.

In California, and across the nation, it is unlawful for an employer to retaliate against an employee for voicing concerns about workplace safety, or reporting them to the proper authorities. If you are an Amazon driver who works directly for the corporation, or one who drives for an Amazon DSP, we want to hear your story during a free consultation.

Why are Amazon Drivers Being Retaliated Against for Reporting Vehicle Safety Concerns?

Amazon requires contracted delivery drivers to inspect their vehicles at the beginning and end of their shifts as a safety precaution.

Some drivers say they are pressured to ignore damage and complete the inspections as quickly as possible, so that delivery companies can avoid taking vans off the road. If delivery companies take a van off the road, they risk forfeiting valuable package routes and drivers may lose a shift.

Amazon’s protocol is to “ground” vehicles or take them out of operation for repairs when a safety issue is flagged during an inspection. While inconsistent inspection practices undermine the company’s public messaging around worker safety, many Amazon drivers have reported broken backup alarms, which alert pedestrians and other vehicles when the van is reversing, flashing check engine lights and other sensors, busted backup cameras, broken mirrors, jammed doors, and tires with little to no tread.

Amazon drivers across California are stating managers avoid grounding vehicles because they do not want to give up delivery routes. Amazon pays contracted delivery companies for every package delivered each week and for every delivery route they pick up.

When Amazon and their Delivery Service Providers place profits over safety and discourage delivery drivers from reporting these issues on the safety inspection checklist, they are subjected to dangerous working conditions that can leave them injured — or worse, killed behind the wheel of an unsafe vehicle.

Are You Being Retaliated Against for Reporting Amazon Delivery Truck Safety Violations?

If you are facing retaliation from your California employer for reporting Amazon delivery truck safety violations, contact our Los Angeles County employment law firm today for help. Our bilingual staff offers services in both English and Spanish and is available now to discuss your case during a free consultation by calling (626)-396-9900 or online.