Germany is demanding explanations from online retail giant Amazon after a TV documentary showed seasonal workers being harassed by security guards.
A documentary by state broadcaster ARD said employees' rooms were searched; they were frisked at breakfast and constantly watched.
Ursula von der Leyen, Employment Minister, said some employment agencies could lose their operating licences.
In a statement, Amazon said it would follow up complaints.
The film showed the living and working conditions of agency workers brought in to help with the Christmas rush, principally at an Amazon warehouse in Bad Hersfeld, in the state of Hesse.
It showed staff living quarters in cramped holiday accommodation a long way from the Amazon warehouse, which could only be reached by an unreliable bus service.
Many of the temporary workers came from Spain and Poland.
Workers from outside Germany were shown as receiving the worst harassment from security guards from a private firm, Hensel European Security Services (Hess)
Hess was under contract to an employment agency, not to Amazon.
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