Amazon warehouse workers turn to bots for time off
Amazon warehouse employees are leveraging technology to secure voluntary time off (VTO), according to posts on Reddit and Github pages reviewed by 404 Media. These workers are utilizing bots to automatically claim VTO slots before their colleagues can. An anonymous worker from a California warehouse explained, "VTO is valuable because unlike unpaid time (UPT), we actually accumulate toward getting more UPT as opposed to using UPT and wasting it."
Bots beat humans to claim time off slots
The availability of VTO is typically announced in the evening via an Amazon app used by employees to manage shifts. However, by the time many employees receive the notification, all available VTO slots are already claimed. This rapid claiming of slots could be due to other workers using bots that instantly secure these opportunities. The scarcity of VTO has been a recurring topic on Reddit for years, with some users even sharing their own VTO auto-acceptor bots on Github pages.
Innovative bots secure time off for workers
One of the bots used to claim VTO slots was created using the Google Chrome TamperMonkey extension. This bot operates by auto-refreshing the page until slots become available, and then automatically claiming them. Another bot, developed by former Amazon warehouse worker Drake Main, is entirely built in Javascript and mimics human interaction with the interface. Main told 404 Media that he wrote the bot to secure a VTO slot every time it was available.
Frustration over VTO distribution among Amazon workers
VTO distribution can seem random, being offered when shifts are slow and fewer workers are needed, according to Reddit posts. Some users have expressed frustration at not being able to secure VTO or voluntary extra time (VET), as they are claimed almost immediately after notification. Some attribute this problem to a delay in notifications, while others suggest that workers need to be on the app at the moment VTO is posted.
Amazon's stance on bots and VTO distribution
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to 404 Media that VTO is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis, and that opportunities are posted before shifts in the Amazon A to Z application. The company is aware of the use of bots by workers to claim VTO slots. The spokesperson stated that such activities are prohibited and assured that there are safeguards in place to identify their use.
