10 Rules That Can Get You Fired From Amazon

L.J. Sellers · 12-20-2010, 10:25 AM

This isn't directly e-reader related, but Amazon is such a big force in the e-reader business that I thought people would be interested in an inside look at Amazon's packaging facility.

http://www.businessinsider.com/crazy...mazon-2010-12#

tubemonkey · 12-20-2010, 10:37 AM

Some of the rules make sense, while others are just ridiculous. Not an employee friendly environment for sure.

kindlekitten · 12-20-2010, 10:43 AM

the more crazy ones seem, just crazy and highly suspect

mr ploppy · 12-20-2010, 10:51 AM

I wouldn't want anything I bought from Amazon arriving with lipstick or chewing gum stuck to it. The fact that they also monitor their employee's every movement should really come as no surprise to anyone with a Kindle. Sacking someone for being ill was probably a mistake they made once and learnt from, so obviously it will never happen again. It's not as if Amazon is the only place people can work at anyway.

abookreader · 12-20-2010, 10:52 AM

Assembly Line work at its finest.

Its like those factories where workers can be fired for veering 3 feet away from the painted line they're supposed to be walking on. I hope the money is good for them because it is miserable to be treated like that.

HarryT · 12-20-2010, 10:56 AM

My sister works in a call centre which is very much like that. They are very closely monitored and have to follow ultra-strict rules.

luqmaninbmore · 12-20-2010, 10:56 AM

Taylorism at work, peeps. It's like capitalists WANT Marx to be right, or something. On another note, did anyone else the similarity of these rules to the rules that govern behavior in American public schools?

luqmaninbmore · 12-20-2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

My sister works in a call centre which is very much like that. They are very closely monitored and have to follow ultra-strict rules.

Does she at least get paid a decent wage/salary for putting up with that?

mr ploppy · 12-20-2010, 12:12 PM

JF Gonzalez wrote a short story and full length book showing what happens when companies take this sort of attitude to the extreme. They're both recommended for anyone who has had to suffer an employer like that, but they are pretty expensive for ebooks even if they are only 1/10th the price of the paper versions.

Screaming to Get Out
The Corporation

TallMomof2 · 12-20-2010, 12:43 PM

There are plenty of workplaces besides Amazon that have seemingly crazy rules. Plus, many states don't have decent worker protection laws/regulations and the employee can be fired at will. No reason given.

Penforhire · 12-20-2010, 12:44 PM

The only one that didn't make sense was the fired-for-being-sick. Maybe they didn't call in to notify? Anyway, the rest of those sound like appropriate shipping assembly-line rules intended to keep productivity up and the stuff we ordered looking nice.

I don't know ANY production line (and I know dozens) where excessive talking doesn't get reprimanded. Make-up and jewelry are often limited in cleanroom environments as well (this isn't cleanroom but same intent, keep the product in good shape).

TallMomof2 · 12-20-2010, 12:50 PM

Plenty of places make it hard to call in sick. Wal-Mart requires a doctor's excuse and your first day of sick leave is unpaid. This was true a year or so ago but I don't know if it still is true. Many people work for small employers who don't offer benefits such as paid sick leave and if you take too much unpaid time off then you get fired. In order to keep your job you show up no matter what.

SeaBookGuy · 12-20-2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

There are plenty of workplaces besides Amazon that have seemingly crazy rules. Plus, many states don't have decent worker protection laws/regulations and the employee can be fired at will. No reason given.

Bear in mind these are temporary jobs. By the time a "grievance" can be explored, the positions will have long expired.

tubemonkey · 12-20-2010, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

In order to keep your job you show up no matter what.

Makes a lot of sense. Sick with an infection, so go to work and spread the infection to customers and fellow employees.

HarryT · 12-20-2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

Does she at least get paid a decent wage/salary for putting up with that?

I don't know what she earns, but I suspect it's not a fortune. She enjoys working there, though, and that's the main thing.

12-20-2010, 10:25 AM	#1
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	10 Rules That Can Get You Fired From Amazon This isn't directly e-reader related, but Amazon is such a big force in the e-reader business that I thought people would be interested in an inside look at Amazon's packaging facility. http://www.businessinsider.com/crazy...mazon-2010-12#

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12-20-2010, 10:37 AM	#2
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Some of the rules make sense, while others are just ridiculous. Not an employee friendly environment for sure.

12-20-2010, 10:43 AM	#3
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	the more crazy ones seem, just crazy and highly suspect

12-20-2010, 10:51 AM	#4
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I wouldn't want anything I bought from Amazon arriving with lipstick or chewing gum stuck to it. The fact that they also monitor their employee's every movement should really come as no surprise to anyone with a Kindle. Sacking someone for being ill was probably a mistake they made once and learnt from, so obviously it will never happen again. It's not as if Amazon is the only place people can work at anyway.

12-20-2010, 10:52 AM	#5
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	Assembly Line work at its finest. Its like those factories where workers can be fired for veering 3 feet away from the painted line they're supposed to be walking on. I hope the money is good for them because it is miserable to be treated like that.

12-20-2010, 10:56 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	My sister works in a call centre which is very much like that. They are very closely monitored and have to follow ultra-strict rules.

12-20-2010, 10:56 AM	#7
luqmaninbmore Da'i Posts: 1,144 Karma: 1217499 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Toshiba Thrive, Kobo Touch, Kindle 1, Aluratek Libre, T-Mobile Comet	Taylorism at work, peeps. It's like capitalists WANT Marx to be right, or something. On another note, did anyone else the similarity of these rules to the rules that govern behavior in American public schools?

12-20-2010, 12:12 PM	#9
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	JF Gonzalez wrote a short story and full length book showing what happens when companies take this sort of attitude to the extreme. They're both recommended for anyone who has had to suffer an employer like that, but they are pretty expensive for ebooks even if they are only 1/10th the price of the paper versions. Screaming to Get Out The Corporation

12-20-2010, 12:43 PM	#10
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	There are plenty of workplaces besides Amazon that have seemingly crazy rules. Plus, many states don't have decent worker protection laws/regulations and the employee can be fired at will. No reason given.

12-20-2010, 12:44 PM	#11
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	The only one that didn't make sense was the fired-for-being-sick. Maybe they didn't call in to notify? Anyway, the rest of those sound like appropriate shipping assembly-line rules intended to keep productivity up and the stuff we ordered looking nice. I don't know ANY production line (and I know dozens) where excessive talking doesn't get reprimanded. Make-up and jewelry are often limited in cleanroom environments as well (this isn't cleanroom but same intent, keep the product in good shape).

12-20-2010, 12:50 PM	#12
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	Plenty of places make it hard to call in sick. Wal-Mart requires a doctor's excuse and your first day of sick leave is unpaid. This was true a year or so ago but I don't know if it still is true. Many people work for small employers who don't offer benefits such as paid sick leave and if you take too much unpaid time off then you get fired. In order to keep your job you show up no matter what.