Just when it seemed like all the legal focus was on Apple and Google, Amazon is feeling some new legal pressure, per the NYT. 

• California wants to get in the middle of how Amazon runs its factories and warehouses: Though its workers are paid hourly, they reportedly have a quota of tasks they must complete from an algorithm-based system. These quotas have led to numerous reports of discomfort from Amazon employees, including having to forego bathroom breaks to get enough work done.

• California’s new bill would make that problem go away: It would ban any business in the state from using a quota that prevented employees from using the bathroom as much as they needed, or from taking any state-mandated breaks.

Amazon is the target, but every company is included

The bill is facing great opposition not just from the Bezos machine but from corporations across California. They believe it would place undue regulatory burdens on them despite not having the same work environments as Amazon. According to the NYT, Amazon’s serious injury rate is roughly double the national average.

The Verdict

The California state senate is expected to vote on the bill this week.