Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards is investigating Amazon Logistics—the company’s vast network of delivery services—for alleged violations of labor laws, including the city’s ordinance requiring paid sick time for gig workers that went into effect this year.

The investigation appears focused on Amazon’s Flex drivers, who operate like gig workers and make deliveries for the company using their own vehicles and on their own schedule.

Amazon sent a letter to its Flex drivers last Friday to notify them of the investigation, according to a copy of the note shared with The Seattle Times.

A spokesperson for the Office of Labor Standards confirmed Tuesday it had recently opened an investigation, adding that it does so “when it has reason to believe that a specific violation occurred or is occurring under Seattle’s labor laws.”

It’s unclear what law, or laws, government officials believe Amazon may have violated. But the spokesperson for the Office of Labor Standards said it opened the investigation under new ordinances put in place to give gig workers more of the same protections that companies offer employees.

That includes the Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance, or PSST, which requires companies provide paid time off for app-based workers to take care of themselves and their families, including for doctor’s visits, school closures or other health and safety reasons.

Those protections were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and later codified into law. The ordinance went into effect in May 2023 for food delivery companies using app-based workers and expanded to include all app-based workers at companies with more than 250 workers in January.

In its note to workers, Amazon said “we remain confident we are in compliance with all laws and regulations, including Seattle PSST, and are committed to transparency and cooperation throughout the process.”

Amazon confirmed to The Times on Wednesday that the Office of Labor Standards is investigating Amazon Logistics to ensure compliance with paid sick and safe time accrual under the PSST ordinance.

Amazon Logistics isn’t the only company feeling the impact of the ordinance.

In August 2023, the Office of Labor Standards found DoorDash violated the ordinance by failing to establish a system for workers to request and use paid time off, provide timely compensation to gig workers for use of that time and give workers monthly notice of their PSST balances. DoorDash paid $1.6 million as a result of the investigation.

In March, Instacart agreed to pay nearly $750,000 to settle allegations it failed to comply with the same ordinance. The Office of Labor Standards accused Instacart of failing to allow drivers who had been deactivated from the platform to use their accrued time off and failing to provide accurate compensation rates when telling workers how much time they had accrued.

The Office of Labor Standards says on its website that most investigations are resolved in a settlement agreement.

2024 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Former NBC News star Brian Williams is finalizing a deal to anchor live coverage of the presidential election results for Amazon’s Prime Video, in the streamer’s first attempt at live news coverage, according to two people familiar with the plan.

Williams, 65, has been off of television since leaving his professional home of 28 years in 2021. He has spoken with a number of networks and streaming services about projects, but this is the first to come to fruition. He would be in his comfort zone at Prime Video, as he led NBC’s presidential election night programs in 2008 and 2012 and its cable network MSNBC’s coverage in 2016 and 2020.

A representative for Prime Video declined comment. But those briefed on the matter said a deal is imminent.

Deep-pocketed Amazon’s entry into live news coverage will not be a welcome development for the legacy TV networks, which are struggling to maintain their financial footing as audiences shift to streaming. Nearly every news operation is looking to cut costs after the 2024 election.

In recent years, Prime Video has become a powerhouse in live sports by carrying the NFL’s Thursday night games. It will also be the streaming platform for the NBA starting in the 2025–26 season. Live news could be the streamer’s next frontier.

But as of now, the election night program would be a one-time-only event and not part of a larger effort to get Prime Video into the TV news business, according to one person familiar with the discussions.

Amazon executives were persuaded to experiment with news as millions of young viewers who don’t watch traditional TV are expected to participate in the election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Many of them are turning to TikTok and YouTube as information sources.

Prime Video’s election coverage will originate from Amazon’s studio in Culver City and start streaming live starting an hour before the polls close Nov. 5. The plan is to keep Williams on the stream until a winner is called, although there is a possibility of a close race that could take several days to sort out.

Prime Video does not have its own news operation. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, but the newspaper would not be formally involved in the project. Jonathan Wald, a veteran TV news producer and executive who worked closely with Williams at NBC, would oversee the production.

The program would be different from traditional election coverage. The operation supporting Williams would not have a decision desk that examines data and calls winners. Prime Video would depend on the state-by-state calls made by the Associated Press.

Prime Video’s coverage will be closer in style to the nightly MSNBC program “The 11th Hour With Brian Williams,” where the anchor debriefed reporters, historians and pundits on the day’s events. Williams gained a strong following among viewers who tuned in for his sharp wit and breezy conversational approach to topics.

“The 11th Hour” also rehabilitated Williams’ career. He moved to MSNBC in 2015 following a scandal over false statements he made about his experiences covering the Iraq war, which cost him the prestigious anchor position at “NBC Nightly News” he held for 10 years.

2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

After examining local, state and national databases, University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers have concluded that expanding and enhancing supports for Nebraska’s families is vital to ensure the “good life” for all Nebraska residents.

The team’s analysis found Nebraska families becoming more diverse and complex, due largely to changes in the demographic makeup of the state’s population in recent decades.

With an aging population, evolving immigration and an outward migration of workers seeking jobs elsewhere, keeping up with the changing needs of Nebraska families becomes crucial for promoting health and well-being among current and future generations—and to ensure the state’s economic success.

Lorey Wheeler, director of the Nebraska Academy for Methodology, Analytics and Psychometrics and a research associate professor in the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, is the lead author of a new manuscript examining Nebraska families based on state priorities.

Those priorities, identified by a Nebraska Extension needs assessment, include developing a skilled workforce, creating statewide economic vitality, retaining and attracting young people, enhancing health and well-being, and leveraging Nebraska’s strengths for sustained success.

The article, “The 2023 State of Nebraska Families: State Priorities and Key Areas of Promise,” was recently published in Marriage & Family Review, a journal that focuses on research, practice, theories and applications related to marriage.

The manuscript describes Nebraska’s geography, demographics and government contexts and reviews where current state policy, programming and resources stand in addressing family-focused needs and issues of the state’s working-age population.

The Husker team concluded that crafting policy that supports accessible high-quality child care, caregiver supports, and health and well-being across the lifespan would enhance worker and family well-being throughout the state. It would also stem the outward migration of workers to other states and improve personal productivity—bolstering Nebraska’s economic vitality in the process.

“Investing resources in the people most important in a worker’s life—their children, parents and families—is crucial,” Wheeler said. “Addressing geographic and racial disparities in health, and access to health care, are essential issues to address in Nebraska for everyone to feel like it is the ‘good life.'”

Data shows that more than 70% of Nebraska’s children live in households where all adults work, highlighting the need for widespread access to child care and paid medical leave policies.

“The divide between rural and urban communities in infrastructure makes it challenging for people with families in the state to access the supports that they need,” said Patty Kuo, assistant professor of child, youth and family studies and a co-author of the review.

“Policy is behind the reality of the structure of working families. Most families in Nebraska do not have a single-earner household, thus requiring the need for paid medical leave policies and access to child care. The state wants people to work, and we want the state to help people who work.”

Wheeler emphasizes that state workforce retention is vital and that meeting the diverse family needs of Nebraska’s working-age population would help address workers leaving the state in search of opportunities elsewhere.

“Many kids go to college here at UNL and then end up moving to another state for better opportunities for their families,” she said. “The goal is to retain an educated workforce, so it’s necessary to ensure workers currently in Nebraska are adequately supported holistically in their responsibilities to their families.”

Kuo said the data shows a need for innovations in policies and programs to create a healthy environment for families.

“We can’t just solve these problems at an individual level,” she said. “People are embedded in families, and the top reason people leave Nebraska is to find another job, or for their families. We want people to see the direct link between state economic priorities and supporting families.”