Amazon Rest Policy (Everything You Need to Know)
As an e-commerce giant with nearly 1 million U.S. employees, Amazon has become a popular place to work, whether in fulfillment centers or the tech company’s headquarters.
If you’ve seen an Amazon job ad, you might be curious about the company’s working conditions. So what is Amazon’s break policy, and are the working conditions good for employees? Let’s take a closer look at everything I found!
What is Amazon’s rest policy?
Amazon employees can take a 30-minute break every five hours; an additional 10 minutes every four hours worked. Amazon warehouse workers count vacation time when they leave their jobs, and Amazon recently instituted a more flexible policy to ensure employees take bathroom breaks.
If you want to learn more about Amazon’s break policy and what it’s like to work at Amazon, keep reading!
How much rest time do Amazon employees get?
As with any retail job, the amount of rest a worker is entitled to depends on the hours they work.
Amazon warehouse shifts range from 4-10 hours with flexible schedules such as early morning or night shifts. For delivery drivers, most shifts are 10 hours.
If Amazon warehouse workers have a short four-hour shift, they can take a 10-minute break. However, if they work the full 10 hours, they have a 30-minute meal break every five hours.
Most Amazon office workers also take a lunch break during the day and use the restroom as needed.
All employees receive information about their department’s break policy before signing up and agreeing to work for Amazon, so they know what to expect.
When can Amazon take a break?
Amazon workers can take breaks when directed by their supervisors.
Working in an Amazon office gives you more flexibility to take breaks, since most everyone eats lunch at the same time.
In contrast, breaks in Amazon’s fulfillment centers are more structured, and warehouse work needs to continue around the clock.
Supervisors follow up on work schedules and confirm with employees when breaks are available.
For employees who work a certain number of hours per shift, they are given approximately the same amount of rest each day according to their legal and company rights.
Employees who rotate between short and long shifts may not receive a full 30-minute meal break each day if their shift does not exceed five hours.
How does Amazon track breaks?
Amazon has multiple levels of supervisors in fulfillment centers who monitor employee breaks and make sure everyone is taking breaks without abusing the system.
There’s also break time measurement, which tracks the amount of time employees leave their workstations. Most recently, Amazon announced a shift to measuring average vacation time for tasks over a longer period of time.
This approach ensures that employees are not penalized for circumstances beyond their control, or that their vacation duties are not interrupted by going to the bathroom.
Additionally, vacation time metrics are used to monitor employee productivity and identify areas for growth and improvement.
Amazon said the monitoring was aimed at improving operational issues, not closely monitoring employees at all times.
Will Amazon delivery drivers take a break?
Like warehouse workers, Amazon delivery drivers are allotted time for meals and bathroom breaks.
Most drivers work 10-hour shifts with a 30-minute lunch break and two 15-minute breaks, which can be taken at any time.
However, drivers also have a long list of packages to deliver each day, and there are stories of drivers working off hours to complete the delivery list.
Despite mandated breaks in delivery routes, drivers often want to avoid traffic jams and delays, and may eat and drink during the trip.
Does Amazon offer time off?
In addition to standard break allocations, Amazon also offers competitive breaks when employees need longer breaks.
There is company paid time off, and employees can also get paid time off, the amount of which depends on the hour class they are in each week.
Paid sick leave is based on local city and state ordinances, and paid personal leave entitlements are also available.
Some employees may be eligible for leave due to qualifying medical conditions.
Are Amazon’s breaks and benefits better than other employers?
Amazon’s rest policy is consistent with the standard rest policy in the US. Companies like Amazon are required by law to provide employees with breaks, so overall break policies are similar to those of other retail employers.
Compared with other stores where part-time workers may not qualify for paid time off, Amazon offers hourly and salaried employees an attractive annual accrual rate benefit.
Paid vacation and sick leave aren’t the only attractive perks for Amazon employees.
The company is also known for its $15-an-hour minimum wage, with many employees starting above that.
While Amazon’s starting salary is more than double the federal minimum wage, the company also offers attractive health and financial benefits packages, making it a great place to work for many.
From daily breaks to parental leave, Amazon says it’s committed to employee welfare and well-being every day.
Now that you know about Amazon’s break policy, you can also read our related articles about Amazon’s bereavement policy, dress code for Amazon employees, and what it’s like to be an Amazon Flex driver.
in conclusion
Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers are responsible for fulfilling thousands of orders every day.
While Amazon is supporting its workers and making sure they get the legally required time off, the company monitors breaks and vacation assignments to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Amazon employees are entitled to a 30-minute meal break for every five hours worked or an additional 10-minute break for every four hours worked.
Take breaks at any time, within reason. Generally speaking, Amazon executives only look at employee breaks to make sure no one is taking advantage of the system, while also checking that all workers are getting the breaks they legally need.