Want to work as a home delivery driver for Amazon? Not so fast...because you will have...

[Svnla]

to follow many rules, such as hair, nails, teeth, etc.,..…even body odor.

And expect no privacy while you are on the clock as an independent contractor. Look like we have Uber version 2.0.

“Personal grooming must be maintained at an acceptable level, including but not limited to prevention of unpleasant breath or body odor, modest perfume/cologne, and clean teeth, face/ears, fingernails and hair,” Amazon.com Inc. says in a recent version of its policies governing these small delivery companies, or what the company calls Delivery Service Partners.

They also have to provide Amazon physical access to their premises and all sorts of data the retailer wants, such as geo-locations, speed and movement of drivers—information the company says it has the power to use however it wants.

Amazon Work Rules Govern Tweets, Body Odor of Contract Drivers (yahoo.com)

Look like I will go back to my old summer job at UPS rather than Amazon.

Speaking of Amazon, friends in Louisiana just told me that AZ will have a brand new $200 million USD warehouse in northern Louisiana with about 1,000 jobs with starting salary of $15/hour.

$200 M Amazon fulfillment center announced | News | ktbs.com

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[VW MAN]

Normal policies for most all companies. Non issue.you can un-bunch your panties now.

 

[Zorba]

Normal policies for most all companies. Non issue.you can un-bunch your panties now.

Seems pretty controlling for what are supposed to be independent contractors. IRS needs to actually come down on companies illegally classifying employees as contractors.

 

[Svnla]

Seems pretty controlling for what are supposed to be independent contractors. IRS needs to actually come down on companies illegally classifying employees as contractors.

I have no problem with items like good grooming and good customer service requirements but many things in that article are scary such as data collection, even after you quit and no suing AZ, must do this and that per AZ request (almost always in AZ favor), and so on. Just like Uber, AZ wants all the goodies but none of the responsibility.

 

[pauldun170]

If I hire a contractor that serves as a representative of my business I'm going to have some pretty oppressive requirements.
Welcome to the world of how to run a fucking successful big boy business.
Want my contract?
Guess what. You are the face of my fucking company to customers. I have expectations.
Don't like it?
Fuckoff

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Yeah... I mean.. OH DARN! I can't have a neck-tattoo that says "bitches n' hoes" while presenting in front of corporate clients. OH THE HUGE MANATEE! lol.

God forbid you:
1) Not smell like shit so your company doesn't have a bad rep
2) You groom yourself to a certain extent.


OH woe is me! The system of grooming oneself is keeping me down! Next you will tell me that I need to shit, shower and shave!

 

[1prophet]

And that is why contractors need unions too, too many manager/bosses with a God complex thinking they are overseers back on the plantation with a "yes massah" expectation of those that work for them for the cheapest pay they can get away with.

 

[Svnla]

Look like many of you haven't read the article because if you have, would you be ok with these requirements from AZ? Not just about looking decency and good customer service (in which I am totally supported).

Under their agreement with Amazon, DSPs are obligated to “defend and indemnify” the company in cases involving acts by their drivers, including those involving “death or injury” to any human being

unpaid wages, and by victims of collisions who charge that Amazon is responsible for their injuries.

The retailer, on the other hand, is contractually guaranteed the data it wants from DSPs and retains the right to physically inspect their premises or make them hand over data—not just while servicing Amazon, but also for another three years after parting ways.

DSPs can’t issue press releases about their Amazon work without the company’s permission. DSPs must handle any disputes with Amazon through individual arbitration hearings rather than class-action lawsuits and must require their drivers to do the same. If DSPs get sued, Amazon has a veto over legal settlements and the option to commandeer the companies’ defense. Amazon is specifically indemnified from liability for death or injury. DSPs must make their employees sign non-disclosure agreements and are also obligated to safeguard Amazon’s information. (The DSPs are required to keep the contract itself confidential too.)

 

[ch33zw1z]

I think Amazon is going to the extreme, and I would think twice about working in that position.

At the same time, isn't this what corporate cultists have be vying for as long as I have been alive?

 

[fskimospy]

Look like many of you haven't read the article because if you have, would you be ok with these requirements from AZ? Not just about looking decency and good customer service (in which I am totally supported).

Those conditions seem pretty normal to me, that Amazon wouldn’t be responsible for the misconduct of their contractors.

As others have mentioned here the main issue is that these companies are misclassifying employees as contractors. The other issue is the (unfortunately standard) practice of requiring binding arbitration. The law should be changed so that any party subject to arbitration can cancel it at any time and at their sole discretion and return to the courts.

 

[cytg111]

"movement of drivers"
- this one sticks out to me. What does that mean? That they'll track your personal gps coordinates 100% of the time?

 

[ch33zw1z]

"movement of drivers"
- this one sticks out to me. What does that mean? That they'll track your personal gps coordinates 100% of the time?

Yes, to make sure you stay on route, don't deviate, etc...

But if you're not on the job, it shouldn't be a thing.

 

[cytg111]

Yes, to make sure you stay on route, don't deviate, etc...

But if you're not on the job, it shouldn't be a thing.

And camera in the car? How many boogers am I allowed to pick in a work day before I get that call?

 

[Fenixgoon]

So what you're telling me is that these drivers aren't actually very independent and have little autonomy in conducting their business. And if they don't set their own rates, then they most certainly are not independent contractors.

I believe there's a term for that. Employee.

 

[ch33zw1z]

And camera in the car? How many boogers am I allowed to pick in a work day before I get that call?

As many as you want, just keep your nails, fingers, and face clean....and don't eat them.

And I agree in the spirit of the thread, some of those things would make me think twice about doing that job

 

[Zorba]

If I hire a contractor that serves as a representative of my business I'm going to have some pretty oppressive requirements.
Welcome to the world of how to run a fucking successful big boy business.
Want my contract?
Guess what. You are the face of my fucking company to customers. I have expectations.
Don't like it?
Fuckoff

Well, then they probably aren't legally a contractor.

People such as doctors, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, accountants, contractors, subcontractors, public stenographers, or auctioneers who are in an independent trade, business, or profession in which they offer their services to the general public are generally independent contractors. However, whether these people are independent contractors or employees depends on the facts in each case. The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done. The earnings of a person who is working as an independent contractor are subject to Self-Employment Tax.

Independent contractor defined | Internal Revenue Service

Review the definition of an independent contractor and related tax obligations.

www.irs.gov

This rule needs to start being enforced properly. Also why my company only hires contractors through a contracting house that actually employees the people, so they are in fact employees not contractors, which is probably what is actually going on here too.

If the contract is with a company and that company employees the people, then yeah, whatever. My issues are much more broad then with arbitration and constant video surveillance.

 

[cytg111]

Well, then they probably aren't legally a contractor.

Independent contractor defined | Internal Revenue Service

Review the definition of an independent contractor and related tax obligations.

www.irs.gov

This rule needs to start being enforced properly. Also why my company only hires contractors through a contracting house that actually employees the people, so they are in fact employees not contractors.

Yea thats a weird construct, not least to the workers, thats why I personally quit and became a freelancer, you would essentially do the same work but hand over half of what you make to the contracting house. Hell no.

 

[hal2kilo]

Last time I looked, Amazon isn't Shanghighing people. Don't work there if you don't like the conditions. It's really so simple.
At the moment, it's still a free country contrary snowflake cons.