Warehouse employee stunned at company's decision to cut free water for workers amid record profits

While working for any company or organization, employees expect basic needs like clean drinking water and proper restrooms to be provided. While many workplaces offer these essentials, some choose not to in an effort to cut costs. A worker, u/radiantxflower, faced a similar issue when their company decided to stop providing free bottled drinking water to employees at the warehouse. They took to Reddit to ask the community if such a decision was legal.

"My job, which already pays peanuts, has just announced they're no longer providing free water to employees, like actual water. The most basic necessity for human survival," the worker began in their post. "Apparently, the cost of supplying bottled water to the office was 'unsustainable,' so now they're expecting us to either bring our own or buy it from the vending machine they conveniently installed last month." They continued, "Here's the kicker: I work in a warehouse. It's physically demanding and it gets hot in there. We're sweating through 8-10 hour shifts, and now we're supposed to just figure out how to stay hydrated on our own dime?"

Frustrated with the company's new policy, they further shared, "Oh, and let's not forget that the company posted record profits last quarter. They're not struggling. They're just choosing to squeeze a little more out of the workers because they can. Meanwhile, the higher-ups are probably sipping on company-paid sparkling water in their air-conditioned offices." The worker expressed that the issue wasn't the cost of a bottle of water, but the principle behind the company's decision. "They're literally nickel-and-diming us on the essential thing we need to do our jobs while acting like we should be grateful to even have employment," they shared. "I'm so sick of this system where every tiny cost gets dumped on the workers while the executives rake in bonuses for 'cost-saving measures.' How is this even legal? How is it not considered a human rights issue to deny people basic necessities while they work for you?"

"Is anyone else out there dealing with this kind of nonsense? Because it's making me question why I'm even putting up with it anymore," the worker wondered. People in the comments offered support and advice to the worker. u/PlatypusDream wrote, "The workplace must (by law in the US) provide water that is safe to drink, free and in sufficient quantities. If any of that is missing, complain to OSHA. They don't f*** around! Tap water meets the requirements, so as long as the tap water is safe to drink, the company is not in violation. ETA: The company cannot restrict access to the water nor to bathrooms."

u/sympatheticallyWindi commented, "OSHA needs to hear about this, especially since it's a hot warehouse. Tap water might be legal minimum, but taking away water when they had record profits is straight-up nonsense." u/SecretScavenger36 remarked, "I am actually surprised the water fountain is required. I've only had one job ever provided one and it was because it was an office. I'm literally at work right now. There are no sinks other than the bathroom." u/TsuDhoNimh2 shared, "The employer shall dispense drinking water from a fountain, a covered container with single-use drinking cups stored in a sanitary receptacle, or single-use bottles. The employer shall prohibit the use of shared drinking cups, dippers and water bottles."