FREMONT, CA: Amazon’s role in the U.S. economy expanded after the coronavirus pandemic forced hundreds of millions of Americans into their homes, spiking demand for online shopping and prompting a hiring blitz of 175,000 warehouse workers as other sectors endured layoffs. But reports say that Amazon has fallen short of its commitment to value social welfare as the nation grapples with the pandemic, citing the company’s addition of “largely low-quality” jobs and its alleged endangerment of warehouse workers put at risk of contracting the virus.

Many of the jobs added by Amazon in the aftermath of the outbreak were inadequate due in part to their use of “zero-hour contracts” or contracts that do not guarantee a minimum number of weekly hours. The company created numerous jobs, for which it might ostensibly receive credit under a first-pass analysis. However, these jobs were largely low-quality, many used zero-hour contracts, and they are unlikely in the medium and long term to align with a stakeholder primary agenda.