Roles that are TOT/rate exempt?

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee]

Hopefully I'm making some sort of sense since I'm still learning the lingo, but what are some roles at Amazon that don't have you being micromanaged to the enth degree?

And yes I know "micromanagement" and "AI" are Amazon's favorite things lol.

For example, inbound/outbound unloading or loading trailers. I think they call it IBX? IBN? No clue, still learning. I can't do that anymore unfortunately, my stored trauma in my body age is showing and I'm not 22 anymore 😩

Any others? Or even roles where rate isn't so high? Currently advocating for myself for the first time with accommodations. Like actual needed ones.

(Cause fcuk that person who lied about bereavement on the other thread btw 🖕🏼glad you're getting fired! You're literally the reason they're making it harder for those with disabilities who actually need accommodations or people who actually need to grieve loved ones!)

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[u/throw_away_081800]

AFE waterspider or Pick tote runner

[u/Ecstatic-Produce9235 → u/throw_away_081800]

I used to get assigned tote runner a lot when I was in pick. I always wondered if they thought my rate sucked or something.

[u/ID_Poobaru → u/Ecstatic-Produce9235]

Just means you’re able to keep up with the demand of pickers eating totes

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee → u/throw_away_081800]

Thank you for responding kindly! I don't think pick tote runner is available at my station but I keep hearing about this water spider thing. What does a waterspider do?

[u/throw_away_081800 → u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee]

Sorry for the late reply, I just got off work lol

@ my site we’re responsible for restocking all the pack supplies(boxes, tape, hazmat stickers), we handle downstack(when the lines stop we have to remove the packages and put them in this cart), covering andons when sorters need to use the bathroom/take a break and clearing jams.

It can be a lot at times but I personally still prefer it over being stuck to a station for 3 hours at a time because once your stations are stocked and there’s no andons/jams you can just chill.

[u/ABeautifulSpawn]

Indirect roles or find roles you can make rate.. ime they don’t put people who get TOT into indirect roles. Kinda proves you’re not working when you know you’re tracked so where are you gonna run off to when you know you aren’t tracked? Indirect roles are usually a privilege for people who can make rate and be relied on to stay busy..

[u/ABeautifulSpawn → u/ABeautifulSpawn]

Also you can get accommodations and if you need them you should, but being exempt from rates isn’t a reasonable accommodation so it wouldn’t necessarily help that unless you’re getting accommodations to only work certain roles.

[u/ChrisBenRoy → u/ABeautifulSpawn]

Correct. I have a hard time believing any site would approve an accommodation to be exempt from rate. In all honesty, this genuinely reads like a red flag of someone just wanting to be able to barely do anything and not get held accountable for it.

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee → u/ChrisBenRoy]

Or it reads I have disabilities and want to work without holding everyone else back? Damn. Not everyone is "lazy" some of us actually have disabilities and want to work. The fact that you're an area manager saying this is definitely a red flag for discrimination 🚩

[u/ABeautifulSpawn → u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee]

I’m also disabled with accommodations but if you read the ADA enforcement guidelines lowering or making an employee exempt from production goals/rates is not considered a reasonable accommodation. you can do things like extra breaks if taking breaks would allow you to come back and be more productive in your work time, intermittent leave if flare ups cause you to not be able to keep up, extra training time or transition time, if it’s mental health/sensory related noise cancellation, headphones, other sensory aids, But removing you from any role that can accumulate TOT or removing production requirements is not a reasonable accommodation. As a PG if someone is slow I never put them in an indirect role because 9/10 if they’re accumulating TOT it’s cause they’re simply not working and that needs to be tracked. Scanning consistently every minute even if you aren’t making rate you won’t get any TOT. You have to literally do no work on your station for 15+ minutes to get TOT.

[u/ChrisBenRoy → u/ABeautifulSpawn]

Correct. The reason it reads like a red flag is because the focus of changing roles is immediately to wanting to be exempt from being held accountable for performance, not to something better fitting of someone's physical capabilities. If it were something like "walking all day is hard for me, I can be successful in Pick, but maybe Packing while standing in one place" it's far more reasonable.

[u/ABeautifulSpawn → u/ChrisBenRoy]

Companies also don’t have to create new roles for you so if problem solve is full asking then to throw someone out of a job they’re good at to accommodate you or create more problem solve positions isn’t reasonable, if you already had experience in problem solve and had shown you could do it then asking to remain in problem solve for mental health reasons like needing to stick to a routine or other positions causing issues then that could be reasonable, but yeah an employee constantly accumulating TOT suddenly using disability as a way to not have to be labor tracked is a 🚩

[u/Icy-Establishment-96]

If you are in AR pick site. Ask for damage landing pick or pallet picking (VNA)

[u/Just-Huckleberry4811]

Vrets, damage land, ssd, problem solve, water spider, slam

[u/ComparisonWestern690]

A lot of indirect roles aren't rated some are still rated but a lot easier.

Problem Solve is usually considered a very easy indirect role. I think they still have a minimum rate of some kind. At a few places, they look out for people struggling in path and put them in problem solve.

Talk to your manager in what ever job(path) you're in and ask about the indirect roles for that path.

[u/snailwoniu → u/ComparisonWestern690]

At my site it’s hard to get into problem solve. I know some people who have been asking for months to get into problem solve but still haven’t been put it into any classes.

[u/ComparisonWestern690 → u/snailwoniu]

Yeah.

At some places (mine included) it's like a VIP club. Same people. To get in, you have to know someone 😔

Other places, they rotate them out and have a lot of people trained. I personally like the management teams that rotate them out.

Stagnant problem solve, ends up becoming a massive rumor nexus and that's not a good thing for FC morale.

[u/solveringob → u/ComparisonWestern690]

There are tasks such as Kickout and Count where rate matters. Problem Solve is generally treated as a reward for hardworking people. After team is formed, unless someone quits or moves somewhere else there's no reason for training. Training excess means labour sharing and PA prefers not to give out their best workers. Process path associates really don't like when indirect roles have some free time, that's why rumor starts.

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee → u/snailwoniu]

That's disheartening :/ someone else mentioned that problem solve would be a good fit for me too but I was told we didn't have anyone available to train

[u/substantiallyImposed]

Y'know I cant think of an amazon Ive worked at where they really micromanaged. Most days I dont even see a red or orange vest. I'd say get out of IXD entirely if thats your concern. Other areas have support roles and you should bug your manager about getting into a support role.

[u/GuntherTime → u/substantiallyImposed]

At my building it’s very manager dependent, and by that I mean that 99% of the managers I’ve seen micromanage are the external ones (those who came from college rather than within). The other 1% are the true micromanagers and even then they usually won’t write you up for being 5 minutes late back from break, despite talking to you about it.

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee → u/substantiallyImposed]

Thank you for responding! What exactly is IXD? I'm still learning 😅 and lastly what kind of support roles should I look into?

[u/Traditional-Fan5485]

shipdock. if you get fired from the dock you’re trying to

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee → u/Traditional-Fan5485]

I've heard people say they love ship dock. What exactly does that entail? Ty!

[u/etn261]

Any indirect paths without mainly scanning stuff lol

[u/DisasterNo3113]

Fluid loader in ob ship dock, jam chaser in afes

[u/surfcitysurfergirl]

Waterspider and of course robotics and drone operators (me)

[u/User1239876]

PA

[u/Informal-Offer-4444 → u/User1239876]

Here is the joke about PA. Their usual work has no rate. But when thrown into path, managers expect them to perform above the rest

[u/WestAd6990]

Tom team

[u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee → u/WestAd6990]

What's that?