Amazon warehouse workers sue the company over unsafe working environment. Credit: Scott Lewis.

Employees for e-commerce retailer Amazon have reportedly filed a lawsuit against the company for an unsafe working environment amid coronavirus pandemic.

Reuters reported that the case was filed on Wednesday in the federal court in Brooklyn, New York, by three employees of the JFK8 fulfilment centre in Staten Island, as well as by family members.

One employee reportedly contracted the Covid-19, which resulted in the death of a family member, according to media reports.

Bloomberg cited one of three Amazon employees who filed the lawsuit as saying that she contracted the virus at the company’s Staten Island distribution centre in March.

Filed jointly with advocacy groups including Towards Justice, Public Justice and Make the Road New York, the lawsuit primarily requires the company to comply with public health guidance.

Speaking of the claims, Amazon spokeswoman Lisa Levandowski email was quoted by Bloomberg as saying: “We are saddened by the tragic impact Covid-19 has had on communities across the globe, including on some Amazon team members and their family and friends.

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“From early March to 1 May, we offered our employees unlimited time away from work, and since May 1 we have offered leave for those most vulnerable or who need to care for children or family members.”

In a separate development, Amazon is reportedly set to reopen two of its warehouses in the Midwest following the civil unrest.

In March, Amazon announced plans to hire 100,000 additional workers in its fulfilment centres and delivery network across the US as online orders surge amidst the outbreak.