30+ Workers At Carteret Amazon Facility Have Coronavirus: Report

CARTERET, NJ — More than 30 employees at the Amazon warehouse in Carteret have tested positive for coronavirus, according to a report on BusinessInsider.

That number has not been confirmed by Amazon, but a spokeswoman for the company told Patch that all the infected employees are "recovering, and being supported by Amazon."

Amazon workers who work at the Carteret site said the company is not providing enough space between employees, has more than 500 workers inside the warehouse at once and is not providing enough masks for workers.

"Our building during one day shift has over 500 people in the building at once," an anonymous Carteret Amazon worker told BusinessInsider. "There's no way to properly distance yourself when running at that capacity. And every day they're hiring more and more people. I used to feel safe here, but not anymore. They just care about putting out packages."

The Carteret Amazon fulfillment center is one of Amazon's busiest hubs in the nation, and it supplies all of northern New Jersey and New York City.

On Friday, Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman called on the state of New Jersey and the Middlesex County Health Department to temporarily shut the Amazon facility down, at least until all its 500 workers could be tested for COVID-19 and the entire building is sanitized.

He also wants OSHA to inspect the facility and make sure there are enough gloves and masks for workers.

"It is clear that this outbreak is contributing to the increased numbers of COVID-19 in Carteret and the surrounding area," said Reiman, who himself had coronavirus and recovered last month. "This is disturbing on every level and is unacceptable by all standards."

"These employees aren’t drones, they are people and Amazon treats them like herded sheep," said Reiman.

All Amazon employees diagnosed with COVID-19 are sent home to self-isolate, and are allowed to take up to two weeks off, fully paid, Amazon said. Amazon workers are also paid $2-extra-per-hour pay, plus double bonus pay for working during the pandemic.

"We are supporting the individuals who are recovering. We are following guidelines from health officials and medical experts, and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site," said Amazon spokeswoman Rachael Lighty. "We are encouraging those who are unwell to stay home and taking extreme measures to keep people safe in our buildings."

"We have also implemented proactive measures at our facilities to protect employees including increased cleaning at all facilities, maintaining social distance in the fulfillment centers, and adding distance between drivers and customers when making deliveries," she said.

Any employees who feel they are subject to unsafe work conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic can report their employer to the state hotline at 211 and alert the Middlesex County health department at 732-745-3100.