New Jersey is suing Amazon for allegedly and systematically violating pregnant and disabled workers’ rights at its warehouses. The Attorney General said in a criminal complaint Wednesday that the company has a history of placing workers on unpaid leave while reviewing their accommodation requests.
According to investigators, most requests are denied before Amazon explores alternative solutions, and in many cases, the company fails to respond altogether. The complaint also claims that some employees were terminated within days or weeks of submitting their requests.
Even when accommodations were approved, New Jersey alleges that Amazon required employees to meet the same productivity standards, leading to termination when workers could not physically meet those expectations. The complaint further accuses Amazon of imposing an illegally short, seven-day deadline for employees to provide documentation, often closing requests before workers had time to comply.
“There is no excuse for Amazon’s shameful treatment of pregnant workers and workers with disabilities,” The Attorney General said. “Amazon’s egregious conduct has caused enormous damage to pregnant workers and workers with disabilities in our state, and it must stop now.”
Documented Allegations in New Jersey
The criminal complaint outlines at least five instances in which Amazon allegedly discriminated against pregnant and disabled employees at its New Jersey warehouses:
- A pregnant employee who requested a wheelchair was placed on unpaid leave while Amazon reviewed her request.
- Another worker was told she would be “automatically placed under [a] leave of absence” because her facility could not accommodate her restrictions.
- A disabled employee reported difficulty lifting heavy items and reaching high shelves and was allegedly fired instead of being approved for an accommodation.
- A pregnant employee at high risk of miscarriage requested not to lift heavy objects, but Amazon allegedly closed her request after she missed the company’s seven-day paperwork deadline.
- A pregnant worker with an approved request for extra breaks and a 15-pound lifting limit was later fired for failing to meet productivity quotas she could not achieve due to her approved restrictions.
The complaint seeks an injunction prohibiting Amazon from discriminating against pregnant and disabled workers, as well as compensation for affected employees for lost wages, lost benefits, and emotional distress.
A spokesperson for Amazon denied the allegations, saying the company follows all state and federal laws, provides accommodations for pregnant and disabled workers, and offers paid parental leave benefits.
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