Maryland AG Brian Frosh Calls On Whole Foods, Amazon To Strengthen Employee Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, with 13 other state attorneys general, sent a letter to Whole Foods and its owner Amazon this week, urging the companies to strengthen their protections for employees in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter was sent in an effort to request updated information following a previous letter sent to the companies on March 25, which urged the companies to improve their paid leave policies. In the new letter, the attorneys general are asking for details of health and safety measures that have been adopted, data about infections and deaths among workers and evidence of their compliance with state paid sick leave laws among other topics.

"Amazon and its subsidiary, Whole Foods, are responsible for ensuring the safety and welfare of hundreds of thousands of employees. These companies should be transparent about their efforts to keep their workers healthy," said Attorney General Frosh in a statement.

In addition to asking for more information on the above topics, the new letter urges the companies to take the following actions.

• A written response showing how the companies are complying with guidance and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prevent exposure and transmission of COVID-19, including by providing workers with adequate personal protective equipment, hand washing and hand sanitizer, and social distancing policies.
• A written response demonstrating how the companies are complying with state paid sick leave laws.
• A state-by-state breakdown for each company on the number of their workers who have been infected with and died from COVID-19.
• A description of policies and procedures for notifying consumers and public health authorities of COVID-19 infections and deaths among Whole Foods employees (many of the states' consumer protection laws require businesses to provide this information to consumers).
• Assurances that workers will not be retaliated against for raising concerns about health and safety issues in Amazon and Whole Foods workplaces with management, the media, coworkers, or by filing complaints with relevant government agencies, and that all reports of retaliation will be investigated by the companies.
• An extension to the companies' existing unlimited unpaid leave policies for as long as a state or federal state of emergency exists in each of the states.
• Generous paid leave policies as outlined in the states' March 25 letter that align with requirements in the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act and provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for workers who must stay at home to care for children due to school closures or for themselves and family members if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, diagnosed with COVID-19, or quarantined.

Attorney General Frosh is joined by the states attorney's general from Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington in sending the letter.