Amazon Faces Nationwide Class-Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Pregnancy Discrimination

A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against Amazon in New York, alleging that the company discriminates against pregnant employees. The lawsuit claims that Amazon denied basic accommodations to pregnant workers, including chairs and bathroom breaks, and threatened or fired those who took too much time off for prenatal appointments.

The plaintiffs, four former warehouse employees, also claim that Amazon required medical documentation from workers seeking accommodations. They say this violates the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and New York labor law.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement that the company provides pregnancy-related accommodations to tens of thousands of employees each year, with over 99.9% of requests approved last year.

The lawsuit seeks lost wages and benefits, punitive damages, and an injunction preventing discrimination against pregnant employees. This is not Amazon's first run-in with allegations of discriminatory practices; a similar lawsuit was filed by New Jersey in 2022.