An Amazon warehouse worker found herself at a loss for words after reaching out directly to Jeff Bezos about a pay issue.
In most workplaces, human resources is usually the first stop to resolve any salary-related problems.
However, Tara Jones bypassed the usual channels and contacted the head of Amazon himself, pleading for help with her pay concern.
Jones, who was on medical leave, expected a $540 paycheck but discovered a significant shortfall when she reviewed her monthly salary.
She calculated that her paycheck was short by $90.
While most would turn to their supervisor or HR for assistance, Jones chose a different route and sent a direct message to CEO Bezos, expressing her frustration.
In an email obtained by the New York Times, Jones wrote: “I’m behind on bills, all because the pay team messed up. I’m crying as I write this email.”
After sending the email, Jones discovered she was not alone in experiencing pay discrepancies.
Her message led to a company-wide review, revealing that 179 other warehouse employees had also been underpaid for about 18 months, as reported by the news outlet.
Some affected workers faced severe consequences, such as having their cars repossessed, while others lost their jobs due to incorrect medical leave reporting as absences.
Additionally, there were reports of doctors’ notes inexplicably disappearing from the system.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told The Independent: “We’re disappointed when any of our employees experience an issue with their leave.”
“The New York Times article suggested these issues are widespread and ongoing. They are not.”
“We went back and audited the period in question to make sure employees received their pay, and to our knowledge, there are no outstanding issues.”
The spokesperson added: “The controls we’ve implemented over the last 18 months have resulted in less than one percent of people experiencing an issue while being on paid leave.”
“Certainly, the unprecedented nature of COVID did put a strain on our system’s ability to keep pace with demand and we’ve been hard at work investing and inventing to do better every day.”
Though it was a bold move, reaching out directly to the top proved effective for Jones in resolving her pay issue.