Technologies

Amazon CEO reportedly says company could improve worker treatment

Andy Jassy acknowledges the company’s COVID-19 leave policies were poorly implemented last year, CNBC reports.

As Amazon frames itself as a company striving to become the «Earth’s best employer,» its new CEO reportedly said Tuesday there’s room for improvement. Andy Jassy singled out the company’s botched rollout of COVID-19 leave policies in 2020 as a failure on Amazon’s part, according to a CNBC report.

The remarks came at the GeekWire Summit held both virtually and in-person in Seattle. Jassy said Amazon’s workforce of 1.2 million is like a «small country» before noting that the two weeks of COVID-19 leave didn’t work out for some employees, some of whom reportedly were threatened with termination even though they had requested leave.

«During the pandemic in our fulfillment centers, we had a system and a process around people being able to request short and long term leave and the process just didn’t scale,» Jassy said. Adding that the company didn’t plan to use its HR tools during a pandemic, Jassy said, «It didn’t work the way we wanted it to work.»

Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Amazon currently faces heightened scrutiny of its labor practices. The National Labor Relations Board has found merit in complaints that the company retaliates against workers who organize for better working conditions. Warehouse workers voted not to unionize in April, and now an NRLB official is weighing whether Amazon acted so egregiously during the vote that the results should be thrown out and the election redone.

News reports have shown Amazon workers slipped through the cracks in the early months of the pandemic, some losing their jobs due to technical glitches. One worker who was gravely ill with COVID continued to receive notifications about his return-to-work date, his wife told the New York Times.

Jassy didn’t get into specifics of what went wrong with the company’s leave policies or name any other areas where Amazon could improve. In general, «There are lots of things you could do better,» Jassy said.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im