Amazon is focus of push to curb ‘rank-and-yank’ worker ratings

A pedestrian walks near the Amazon Spheres on the company’s corporate campus in downtown Seattle, Washington. Employees in Washington currently have a right to their personnel records, but the existing law doesn’t clearly specify what needs to be disclosed, and there are no consequences for ignoring requests. — AP

For years, white-collar employees at Amazon.com Inc have accused the company of using opaque “rank-and-yank” performance reviews to periodically cull its workforce. Now a proposed law in Amazon’s home state of Washington could make it harder for companies to terminate workers without explaining why.

Employees in Washington currently have a right to their personnel records, but the existing law doesn’t clearly specify what needs to be disclosed, and there are no consequences for ignoring requests. The proposed legislation aims to more clearly define employee files and impose penalties on companies that fail to hand them over. The potential impact of the proposed legislation extends beyond terminations. Workers also need access to their employment records to apply for unemployment insurance and workers compensation or pursue discrimination claims.