Amazon Accused of Discriminating Against Pregnant, Disabled Workers
New York's Division of Human Rights this week filed a complaint against Amazon, alleging that it "engages in discrimination" against pregnant workers and workers with disabilities.
According to an announcement by Gov. Kathy Hochul(Opens in a new window), Amazon is accused of denying those employees "reasonable accommodations," including forcing them to take unpaid leave.
"My administration will hold any employer accountable, regardless of how big or small, if they do not treat their workers with the dignity and respect they deserve," Hochul said. "New York has the strongest worker protections in the nation and was one of the first to have protections for workers who are pregnant and those with disabilities."
Amazon, which operates 23 state sites with more than 39,000 workers, has been accused of overriding recommendations for "reasonable accommodation"—like a request for reduced hours due to a disability that necessitates a specific sleep schedule, or avoiding strenuous activity such as lifting boxes over 25 pounds when pregnant.
The complaint, detailed in Hochul's press release, calls for Amazon to adopt non-discriminatory policies regarding requests for reasonable accommodations, to train employees on the Human Rights Law(Opens in a new window), and pay civil fines to the state of New York.
Amazon did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment, however, a company spokesperson told CNBC(Opens in a new window) that, "We're surprised by the governor's announcement […] because we've been cooperating and working closely with her investigator on this matter and had no indication a complaint was coming." The spokesperson goes on to say, "Since we haven't received the complaint ourselves yet, we're not in a
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