Amazon Pays $62M to Settle FTC Wage Theft Case

So they stole tips for years, lied about it repeatedly, kept doing it until the moment they knew they were caught by the FTC, and now all they have to do is pay the exact amount they stole back? Not even with interest? No "stop being an asshole to your workers" penalty? Great news for Amazon.

Link to the FTC announcement: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/02/amazon-flex-didnt-...

FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra has also put out a statement [1], titled Regarding the Deception of Delivery Drivers by Amazon.com Commission File No. 1923123

Some extracts:

> In total, Amazon stole nearly one-third of drivers’ tips to pad its own bottom line. ...

> ... Amazon executives chose not to alter the practice, instead viewing drivers’ complaints as a “PR risk,” which they sought to contain through deception. ...

> Today’s order provides substantial redress to the families victimized by Amazon’s anticompetitive deception. However, this cannot be the only action we take to protect workers and families from dominant middlemen. ...

> I also agree with Acting Chairwoman Slaughter and Commissioner Phillips that preying on workers justifies punitive measures far beyond the restitution provided here, and I believe the FTC should act now to deploy dormant authorities to trigger civil penalties and other relief in cases like this one.

[1] https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements...

Amazon's actions in this have been despicable; low-down, bare-faced thievery. Wretched behaviour. I am surprised that no whistleblowers were available among accounting staff to expose this sooner.

> The FTC said the money Amazon is paying for the settlement will go back to delivery drivers whose tips were taken.

How much went to the lawyers vs the people affected?