I wouldn't quite call it an ad-hominem. In my opinion, when having to rely on second-hand information, you should take into consideration that individual's motives, and possible biases that may manifest as a result. Of course, the same applies to Amazon.
Short of the actual, detailed facts from an impartial source (apparently not the NYT it seems) we're forced to make assumptions based on individual's personal experiences / comments. Maybe Amazon indeed was a horrible place to work at...for those individuals that complained. But if we're at that level, surely we should consider motives/personal circumstances?
