Intel accused of placing chip production over employee safety

Intel considers its products to be essential, preventing the company from closing its factories during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, reports have claimed that Intel’s factory managers have dismissed social-distancing guidelines and that the company has failed to institute test or isolate staff that have been affected by the virus. 

Other claims against Intel include the company allowing workers with symptoms to return to work without proof that the employee tested negative for COVID-19. Such actions place more of Intel’s employees at risk. Intel has also been accused of failing to provide employees with masks or other protective equipment. 

In a statement to Tom’s Hardware, Intel said the following; 

    Intel’s top priority in managing the coronavirus situation is protecting the health and well-being of employees while continuing to operate and support our customers around the world. This has been an incredibly dynamic and unprecedented situation, and we have worked to learn and adapt as fast as possible so we can continue to safeguard our workers and communities. 

We encourage our employees to raise concerns and we work hard to address those concerns quickly. Intel submitted formal responses to the complaints and OSHA inspectors visited our sites in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico. We have not received any violations, and OSHA inspectors that visited our sites complimented us on our actions.