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California fines Amazon $6M for alleged violations of warehouse quota law at 2 warehouses

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California fines Amazon M for alleged violations of warehouse quota law at 2 warehouses


The California Labor Commissioner’s Office has fined Amazon a total of $5.9 million on allegations the company violated a state law by working warehouse employees so hard that their safety was put at risk.

The two citations, which were issued in May, said Amazon.com Services LLC violated the state’s Warehouse Quota Law at facilities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the labor commissioner’s office said Tuesday in a press release.

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Amazon was fined $1.2 million at a warehouse in Redlands and $4.7 million at another warehouse in Moreno Valley.

The Warehouse Quota Law, enacted in 2022, requires warehouse employers to provide employees with written notice of any quotas they are expected to follow, including how many tasks they need to complete per hour and any discipline that could result from not meeting the requirements, the labor commissioner’s office said.

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Amazon.com Services LLC is accused of violating California’s Warehouse Quota Law at facilities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)

Amazon said Tuesday that it denies the allegations from the state and has appealed the citations.

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“The truth is, we don’t have fixed quotas,” Amazon spokesperson Maureen Lynch Vogel said in a statement to the Associated Press. “At Amazon, individual performance is evaluated over a long period of time, in relation to how the entire site’s team is performing. Employees can — and are encouraged to — review their performance whenever they wish. They can always talk to a manager if they’re having trouble finding the information.”

The citations accuse Amazon of not providing written notice of quotas.

The labor commissioner’s office said the law defines a quota as work that must be performed at a specified speed or the worker could face discipline. The law also puts limits on quotas that prevent compliance with meal or rest periods, use of bathroom facilities or compliance with occupational health and safety laws, according to the labor commissioner’s office, which noted that a quota may be illegal if it is not disclosed to workers or prevents workers from exercising these statutory rights. 

Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said Amazon used “exactly the kind of system” that the law was put in place to prevent.

“The peer-to-peer system that Amazon was using in these two warehouses is exactly the kind of system that the Warehouse Quotas law was put in place to prevent,” she said in a statement. “Undisclosed quotas expose workers to increased pressure to work faster and can lead to higher injury rates and other violations by forcing workers to skip breaks.”

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Amazon was fined $1.2 million at a warehouse in Redlands and $4.7 million at another warehouse in Moreno Valley. (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)

The labor commissioner’s office started its investigation in 2022 after employees at the two warehouses said they were facing unfair quota practices. The Warehouse Worker Resource Center, a nonprofit that advocates for improving working conditions, assisted the investigation.

“Amazon’s push for speed leads to high rates of injuries,” Warehouse Worker Resource Center staff attorney Mindy Acevedo said in a statement. “AB 701 provides important protections against dangerous work speeds and unfair quota practices, but these citations show Amazon failed to follow fundamental parts of the law.”

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“Courageous workers sounded the alarm about these violations and the Labor Commissioner took prompt action,” Acevedo continued. “We heard from workers that not only were they required to work at an unsafe pace, there was little transparency around work expectations and they could lose their jobs if they failed to meet these undisclosed quotas. Amazon workers are entitled to what AB 701 promises – fairness and transparency around quota expectations and a safe pace of work.”

Similar laws have taken effect in other states, including Minnesota, New York, Oregon and Washington, the resource center said in a press release. In May, U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., introduced a warehouse worker protection bill in Congress.



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Utah woman missing for nearly a week from central California

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Utah woman missing for nearly a week from central California


SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah woman has been reported missing for nearly a week from a county in central California.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said Danielle Staley, 35, of Holladay, was last seen near Rio Del Mar State Beach last Thursday night, Nov. 6.

She stands about 5-foot-6, with blond hair, and was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and leopard-print leggings, police said.

According to Zach West, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, Staley had been traveling with a friend for over a month — the pair arrived in the Santa Cruz area, near Aptos Beach in Rio Del Mar about a week ago.

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On the night of Nov. 6, about 11:30 p.m., Staley and her friend had met some people at the beach and had a bonfire; the friend somehow separated from the group, and Staley couldn’t be found the next day, though her belongings were still on the beach, West said.

The woman hasn’t had contact with her family or friends, which West said was “out of character for her.”

Detectives are trying to piece together and identify others who were at the beach; they are also working with local businesses to scour surveillance footage that may present some clues, according to West.

He said numerous people have called claiming to have seen Staley, and detectives intend to follow up on those tips.

As of now, police said they don’t have any indication that she has traveled outside of the county, so the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office is the only agency investigating right now.

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Staley’s friend is said to be cooperating with police.

Those with information are asked to call the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office at 831-471-1121.



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Thousands advised to stay indoors in California, Oregon, Arizona

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Thousands advised to stay indoors in California, Oregon, Arizona


Parts of three states face potentially unhealthy levels of air pollution early Wednesday, a live map from AirNow shows.

The map shows multiple pockets of fine particle (PM2.5) pollution in the “unhealthy” category. In Arizona, the pocket is centered around Payson, while another area is located along the border between California and Oregon, encompassing parts of Red Rock Valley, Butte Valley, Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Langell Valley, Spring Lake Valley, and areas around Klamath Falls.

At these air-quality levels, the Environmental Protection Agency advises that sensitive groups avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider moving or rescheduling them indoors. The EPA also recommends the remainder of the population to reduce long or intense activities, and to take more breaks during outdoor activities.

Why It Matters

Officials and experts say that deteriorating air quality heightens health risks for vulnerable populations, such as older adults, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses.

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What To Know

AirNow—an air quality data resource—is a partnership between the EPA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other agencies.

The Air Quality Index measures air pollution on a scale from 0 to 301 and above:

  • 0—50 (Green): Good—Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
  • 51—100 (Yellow): Moderate—Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
  • 101—150 (Orange): Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups—Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
  • 151—200 (Red): Unhealthy—Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
  • 201—300 (Purple): Very Unhealthy—Health alert. The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
  • 301 and higher (Maroon): Hazardous—Health warning of emergency conditions. Everyone is more likely to be affected.

What People Are Saying

The EPA says on its website: “The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream.

“Exposure to such particles can affect both your lungs and your heart. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including:

  • premature death in people with heart or lung disease
  • nonfatal heart attacks
  • irregular heartbeat
  • aggravated asthma
  • decreased lung function
  • increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.

“People with heart or lung diseases, children, older adults, minority populations, and low socioeconomic status populations are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure, either because they are more sensitive or may have higher exposures.”

What Happens Next

AirNow’s map is regularly updated.

Update, 11/12/2025, 5:01 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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California Upsets No. 14 Louisville Cardinals in Overtime Thriller

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California Upsets No. 14 Louisville Cardinals in Overtime Thriller


California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for a career-high 323 passing yards against the No. 14 Louisville Cardinals on Nov. 8, 2025. (Courtesy: Cal Athletics)

California traveled to Louisville, Ky., in search of a statement win against the No. 14 Louisville Cardinals (7-2, 4-2 ACC), and the Golden Bears (6-4, 3-3 ACC) pulled out all the stops Saturday evening to earn the upset, 29-26, in overtime.

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On the first play of the game, California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a lateral to his slot receiver, Jacob de Jesus, who then connected with Trond Grizzell on a deep 27-yard pass. While the Golden Bears would not score on the drive, their fast and aggressive play early on silenced much of the 51,381 in attendance.

California out-gained Louisville in total yards and offensive plays throughout the entire game. The Golden Bears never once trailed the nationally ranked Cardinals by more than one score, despite entering the game as three-score underdogs, according to many sportsbooks’ odds.

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Sagapolutele earned the game-winning touchdown in overtime with a nail-biting throw on fourth down. California’s first-year signal-caller found his favorite target of the evening, de Jesus, who brought in the three-yard reception to close out the game.

De Jesus had a game-high 157 receiving yards and hauled in 16 of 23 passes in which he was targeted. His 16 receptions tie Geoff McArthur’s school record for receptions by a receiver in a single game.

In his post-game press conference, Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm praised de Jesus, calling him California’s “best player.”

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“… Even at the end, to allow their best player to be one-on-one for an easy throw in the corner… you know, we need to coach better; we need to play better,” Coach Brohm said.

Sagapolutele completed 30 out of 47 passes attempted and racked up 323 passing yards—both career highs. In addition to the game-decider, the quarterback threw his first touchdown of the game in the first quarter, a 20-yard bomb to tight end Landon Morris.

The last time California beat a nationally ranked, top-25 team was on Dec. 5, 2020, when the Golden Bears upset the No. 20 Oregon Ducks, 21-17, for their first win in the 2020 college football season.

With the win, California is now eligible for a post-season bowl bid.



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