AMAZON APPEALS: A Process Of Lies

Amazon is proud of what they refer to as “the appeals process”. It’s the process in which a worker can appeal any write-up, including termination, at least that’s what the company says.

The truth is that any worker can apply to appeal a write-up, but the process is overly complicated. It starts with you applying to appeal the write-up. HR will then send a packet of paperwork to your email that you are required to fill out and submit back to them. It cannot be typed and must be hand-written. It asks questions about why you are appealing, if you have tried talking to your manager first, etc. Once the packet is submitted back to HR, they are supposed to contact you no later than 7 business days to schedule the appeal.

However, that process can be extended or delayed at their convenience. Once the appeal is accepted and you have scheduled the appeal, you will be required to meet with the site director, but not in person. The whole appeal hearing is held over the phone. The site director will read you the statement you wrote, and ask if that is correct.

They will then ask for any potential witnesses and claim they will do some “investigation” into what you have stated and will get back to you within 7 business days. This part of the process can also be delayed at their convenience.

HR will tell you that you have the right to appeal any write up to a “panel of your peers”, but since when is the site leadership your peer? The whole process is a sham.

Instead of allowing you to voice your side of the story and give facts, they just want to read your statement, and get out of the meeting as quickly as possible. There is no follow-up investigation taken. There is no panel of your peers.

All the appeals process is there for is so that Amazon can say that they give their employees a fair process to air their grievances.

My question is what is fair about the process whenever the workers do not get a chance to even call witnesses to speak about the incident? What is fair about the process when the whole process is conducted in English with no translators for those that do not speak English?

This is why workers need a union. The only way to get a fair process is to have union representation at disciplinary meetings, and a process established by the union that Amazon will have to follow. Only then will the workers have a fair and just appeals process.

-Steven Kelley, ramp worker KCVG