Amazon Engineer Sues for Work From Home Costs

[GURPS]

Like every other company, Amazon sent all employees who could work from home to work from home in 2020. But what they didn't do was start paying for internet and electricity costs for their employees, according to a lawsuit filed by an Amazon engineer in California.

On the surface, it makes perfect sense. California law requires companies to pay all business expenses. Employees who work at home use more electricity and internet than they would if they came into the office. Therefore, the engineer has a case. At least, that's why the judge didn't throw it out.

Amazon argues that these expenses aren't the company's obligation since it wasn't its choice to send people home; it was following the state orders to send everyone home. The law doesn't seem to have an exception for emergencies.

My best bet? The Amazon engineer will win.

Amazon Engineer Sues for Work From Home Costs. Employees May Not Like it if He Wins

California does, indeed, require employers to pay all business costs, but do they need to pay for your increased electricity use?

www.inc.com

 

[OmyGawd]

Like every other company, Amazon sent all employees who could work from home to work from home in 2020. But what they didn't do was start paying for internet and electricity costs for their employees, according to a lawsuit filed by an Amazon engineer in California.

On the surface, it makes perfect sense. California law requires companies to pay all business expenses. Employees who work at home use more electricity and internet than they would if they came into the office. Therefore, the engineer has a case. At least, that's why the judge didn't throw it out.

Amazon argues that these expenses aren't the company's obligation since it wasn't its choice to send people home; it was following the state orders to send everyone home. The law doesn't seem to have an exception for emergencies.

My best bet? The Amazon engineer will win.

Amazon Engineer Sues for Work From Home Costs. Employees May Not Like it if He Wins

California does, indeed, require employers to pay all business costs, but do they need to pay for your increased electricity use?

www.inc.com

he might win, but they will find a way to get rid of him.

 

[vraiblonde]

Freakin Amazon - cheap pricks. The tops are all bazillionaires and they bitch and piss about paying their employees' legit expenses.

This is why I've all but boycotted Amazon and refuse to have their spy devices in my home. I don't even buy books from those bastards anymore - I get ebooks from the library. Effing Big Tech dicks, greedy bastards. Hate them.

 

[HemiHauler]

^^ Ah yes, typical hatred of success ^^ But rage, rage, rage, you must against your sworn life enemy #1, Jeff Bezos, amirite?

But this is one way to ensure that work-from-home is ruined for everyone, and ensure all your fellow engineers hate you. Dude makes a quarter million (MINIMUM) plus equity, and this is what he's concerned about? Boy oh boy, just wait until he sees the cost of gas to go back into the office. Amazon should just cancel all ALL wfh allowances and be done with it. Problem solved.

A far, far better way to deal with this would be for the IRS to allow non-1099 employees to deduct these expenses. That's they most other modern countries handle this.

 

[Escalade14]

Freakin Amazon - cheap pricks. The tops are all bazillionaires and they bitch and piss about paying their employees' legit expenses.

Walmart is the same exact way. The Walton family is the richest family in the world but yet corporate (intentionally) fails to keep the stores running in an adequate order in more ways than one, all in the name of profits over people

 

[vraiblonde]

Walmart is the same exact way. The Walton family is the richest family in the world but yet corporate (intentionally) fails to keep the stores running in an adequate order in more ways than one, all in the name of profits over people

Yep.

The Walmart heiress claims to be this big progressive champion of the downtrodden and I'm like, "Yo bitch? Your employees ARE the downtrodden."

 

[SamSpade]

^^ Ah yes, typical hatred of success ^^ But rage, rage, rage, you must against your sworn life enemy #1, Jeff Bezos, amirite?

But this is one way to ensure that work-from-home is ruined for everyone, and ensure all your fellow engineers hate you. Dude makes a quarter million (MINIMUM) plus equity, and this is what he's concerned about? Boy oh boy, just wait until he sees the cost of gas to go back into the office. Amazon should just cancel all ALL wfh allowances and be done with it. Problem solved.

A far, far better way to deal with this would be for the IRS to allow non-1099 employees to deduct these expenses. That's they most other modern countries handle this.

Can't say I don't disagree. (Although your first line is bizarre in that conservatives are most OFTEN accused of DEFENDING financial success against the "rage" of the left).

But I don't see that man working from home has had his expenses significantly increased because he pays for Internet (which is highly unlikely that he does not have ANYWAY) - a workstation to use, at home (which he HAS) - and increased electricity costs because he's HOME (which is largely absurd). As you observed, he's already saving significantly by not paying for gas, saving time by not having to commute at all, saving on clothes, lunches and all other expenses connected to going to work as opposed to remaining at home.

There's also the added bonus of - unless he has a camera on him at all times - being able to take longer than usual breaks. I also work from home, and since I have multiple screens and computers, I have the luxury of multi-tasking doing my work while doing mundane things like pay bills and order personal supplies and send personal messages - while NOT using company computers.

And you're right about the deduction, although the tax deduction mostly already exists. I've never bothered to investigate it, because I don't think it will net me much - the entire set of deductions connected to having a home office.

 

[vraiblonde]

^^ Ah yes, typical hatred of success ^^ But rage, rage, rage, you must against your sworn life enemy #1, Jeff Bezos, amirite?

But this is one way to ensure that work-from-home is ruined for everyone, and ensure all your fellow engineers hate you. Dude makes a quarter million (MINIMUM) plus equity, and this is what he's concerned about? Boy oh boy, just wait until he sees the cost of gas to go back into the office. Amazon should just cancel all ALL wfh allowances and be done with it. Problem solved.

A far, far better way to deal with this would be for the IRS to allow non-1099 employees to deduct these expenses. That's they most other modern countries handle this.

Your toddler-like insistence on being contrary for the sake of it is unattractive.

 

[HemiHauler]

Your toddler-like insistence on being contrary for the sake of it is unattractive.

As is your disdain for success,

 

[SamSpade]

Yep.

The Walmart heiress claims to be this big progressive champion of the downtrodden and I'm like, "Yo bitch? Your employees ARE the downtrodden."

Can't argue with that, although Wal-Mart is usually my LAST choice for just about anything, unless it's without question the best option. Has nothing to do with the Wal-Mart owners or their policies, but the fact that every Wal-Mart is so poorly attended at the registers. They will have twenty checkout counters and half of them are unmanned even in the heaviest days. There's never a sales person to talk to, and if you get one, they have no idea what the answer is. Ok, not totally true - last time I was there, someone knew exactly where it was, but it was largely because I was practically on top of it. Just don't ask a question about the products.

They're also pushing more and more to self-checkout. I don't mind self-checkout when I have a few items, but it's really a drag when I have a full cart and a space to check it about the size of a small stove. WORSE - when I have to wait in line, because half a dozen seriously slow-assed doofuses have decided to self check out with TWO FULL CARTS.

So basically, if I'm going to Wal-Mart, I can usually expect the experience to last twenty to thirty minutes, unless it's the pharmacy and then it might take the rest of my life.

 

[HemiHauler]

Can't say I don't disagree. (Although your first line is bizarre in that conservatives are most OFTEN accused of DEFENDING financial success against the "rage" of the left).

But I don't see that man working from home has had his expenses significantly increased because he pays for Internet (which is highly unlikely that he does not have ANYWAY) - a workstation to use, at home (which he HAS) - and increased electricity costs because he's HOME (which is largely absurd). As you observed, he's already saving significantly by not paying for gas, saving time by not having to commute at all, saving on clothes, lunches and all other expenses connected to going to work as opposed to remaining at home.

There's also the added bonus of - unless he has a camera on him at all times - being able to take longer than usual breaks. I also work from home, and since I have multiple screens and computers, I have the luxury of multi-tasking doing my work while doing mundane things like pay bills and order personal supplies and send personal messages - while NOT using company computers.

And you're right about the deduction, although the tax deduction mostly already exists. I've never bothered to investigate it, because I don't think it will net me much - the entire set of deductions connected to having a home office.

The tax deduction doesn't in any real way exist unless you're a 1099'er.

 

[vraiblonde]

Can't say I don't disagree. (Although your first line is bizarre in that conservatives are most OFTEN accused of DEFENDING financial success against the "rage" of the left).

But I don't see that man working from home has had his expenses significantly increased because he pays for Internet (which is highly unlikely that he does not have ANYWAY) - a workstation to use, at home (which he HAS) - and increased electricity costs because he's HOME (which is largely absurd). As you observed, he's already saving significantly by not paying for gas, saving time by not having to commute at all, saving on clothes, lunches and all other expenses connected to going to work as opposed to remaining at home.

There's also the added bonus of - unless he has a camera on him at all times - being able to take longer than usual breaks. I also work from home, and since I have multiple screens and computers, I have the luxury of multi-tasking doing my work while doing mundane things like pay bills and order personal supplies and send personal messages - while NOT using company computers.

And you're right about the deduction, although the tax deduction mostly already exists. I've never bothered to investigate it, because I don't think it will net me much - the entire set of deductions connected to having a home office.

Let us not forget that major employers save a fortune by not having to provide a facility and utilities and various workplace amenities (such as a cleaning crew and toilet paper in the company restrooms) for their work at home employees.

Watching progbot Amazon claim wokeness and slapping rainbows all over everything while going to the mat over reimbursing WFH employees for legitimate expenses is a sight to behold. And even more eye opening are the so-called liberals who defend that.

 

[SamSpade]

As is your disdain for success,

??? Because you dislike TRUMP for his success? Cut the crap. She dislikes specific persons who happen to be rich.

 

[vraiblonde]

The tax deduction doesn't in any real way exist unless you're a 1099'er.

That is simply not true and you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[HemiHauler]

That is simply not true and you have no idea what you're talking about.

Nor do you.

 

[Kyle]

That is simply not true and you have no idea what you're talking about.

He defies the broken clock theory.

 

[SamSpade]

The tax deduction doesn't in any real way exist unless you're a 1099'er.

Ah, that sounds right - it's only useful if your home office IS your business, as opposed to a NON 1099 person. My observation is typically that small deductions get swallowed up these days. My standard deduction NOW is so much larger, there's not a lot of reason to itemize.

 

[vraiblonde]

??? Because you dislike TRUMP for his success? Cut the crap. She dislikes specific persons who happen to be rich.

It's not their wealth I dislike, it's their hypocrisy. They spend enormous amounts of money greasing political and judicial palms to get what they want, but when it comes to employee reimbursement they'll spend an enormous amount of money to NOT have to pay them...all the while proclaiming themselves to be such a terrific champion of the little guy.

Makes me want to punch their face.

 

[SamSpade]

Let us not forget that major employers save a fortune by not having to provide a facility and utilities and various workplace amenities (such as a cleaning crew and toilet paper in the company restrooms) for their work at home employees.

Watching progbot Amazon claim wokeness and slapping rainbows all over everything while going to the mat over reimbursing WFH employees for legitimate expenses is a sight to behold. And even more eye opening are the so-called liberals who defend that.

When I was first offered the prospect of working from home, along with the rest of my staff - we all hesitated, largely because we would STILL have to come in ONE day a week, but we would be sharing desks, rather than have our own. The agency was doing this to SAVE money - by decreasing the amount of space needed for on-site employees, it was a cost SAVING strategy.

Everyone looked around thinking - but - I'll lose my desk. I'll have to carry stuff in once a week. My little home away from home, festooned with my kid's picture and decorative knick-knacks would disappear.

The guy offering it was flabbergasted, since among other things, WE WERE the pilot group, the first ones offered it and would almost certainly be guaranteed to keep it as long as we wanted. His answer was "I don't get you guys, I just offered a winning lottery ticket, and you're asking to think about it".

Best thing I ever did. Since the pandemic, I haven't needed to even go in ONE day a week, which means I've been working from home a good seven or eight years. The ONLY downside is, there's no snow days. You're always expected to arrive on time.

 

[SamSpade]

It's not their wealth I dislike, it's their hypocrisy. They spend enormous amounts of money greasing political and judicial palms to get what they want, but when it comes to employee reimbursement they'll spend an enormous amount of money to NOT have to pay them...all the while proclaiming themselves to be such a terrific champion of the little guy.

Makes me want to punch their face.

Well that would fall under the category of "happen to be rich". Yeah, agree with that, too. Much like the global warming/climate change folks who jet around the world and live a lifestyle leaving a carbon footprint twenty times what the rest of us do, all the while decrying the use of fossil fuels they help themselves to in HUGE amounts. I can barely think of anything more hypocritical.