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I'm not seeing Amazon "criticized for offering jobs". Instead I see a list of very specific issues that arose from this arrangement: 1. Amazon may (or may not)

by pyre 11y ago

I'm not seeing Amazon "criticized for offering jobs". Instead I see a list of very specific issues that arose from this arrangement: 1. Amazon may (or may not) have promised that the jobs were temporary-to-permanent rather than just seasonal. 2. Amazon did not have a clear feedback mechanism so that they could improve the program. 3. It sounds like Amazon only gave a week's notice to put this job fair together (something usually takes a month). From the article: > He said it’s normal for companies to face these questions when they first hire homeless workers. But he said what counts is that they keep trying and learning. I would hardly expect to find that tidbit in an article that was attempting to lay the entire blame for the worldwide problem of homelessness at the feet of Amazon... for hiring a few homeless people from Seattle.

Houshalter 11y ago
The article isn't that bad, although it has a negative tone against Amazon when they are really trying to do a good thing. Some of the comments are blaming Amazon, and in the past I have seen a lot of hate on Amazon and other companies that employ a lot of unskilled workers. Hell there was an article just the other day that blamed a lot of Silicon Valley companies like Uber for poverty, which makes no sense at all.
- kriro 11y ago
  I think the hate on Amazon is fairly justified. Working conditions for their fulfillment workers suck and there's a pretty poisoned atmosphere (Amazon Poland for example).
gregjwild 11y ago
Agreed. The problem with companies getting involved in social issues is that social issues take a degree of tact, planning and prior-research. You can't just wade in and play with peoples lives. Good on them for trying - and I hope they don't feel burned by it - but there's a reason public entities and charities are better placed to addressed these kinds of problems, even if they're not well resourced for it. Hopefully they'll continue to refine how they approach it.

by pyre 11y ago

Houshalter 11y ago

The article isn't that bad, although it has a negative tone against Amazon when they are really trying to do a good thing. Some of the comments are blaming Amazon, and in the past I have seen a lot of hate on Amazon and other companies that employ a lot of unskilled workers. Hell there was an article just the other day that blamed a lot of Silicon Valley companies like Uber for poverty, which makes no sense at all.

kriro 11y ago
I think the hate on Amazon is fairly justified. Working conditions for their fulfillment workers suck and there's a pretty poisoned atmosphere (Amazon Poland for example).

gregjwild 11y ago

Agreed. The problem with companies getting involved in social issues is that social issues take a degree of tact, planning and prior-research. You can't just wade in and play with peoples lives. Good on them for trying - and I hope they don't feel burned by it - but there's a reason public entities and charities are better placed to addressed these kinds of problems, even if they're not well resourced for it. Hopefully they'll continue to refine how they approach it.