Amazon Sued Over Alleged Discrimination Against Pregnant Warehouse Workers

A group of four former Amazon warehouse employees has filed a class-action lawsuit against the company for allegedly discriminating against pregnant workers. The plaintiffs claim that Amazon denied them basic accommodations and penalized some who took breaks to pump milk or time off for hospital visits, violating the 2022 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

The law requires employers with 15 or more workers to provide a 'reasonable accommodation' for pregnancy and childbirth-related medical conditions. To refuse an accommodation, companies must show it would create 'undue hardship' for the business. Amazon has approved over 99.9% of pregnancy-related accommodations in the past year, according to company spokesperson Kelly Nantel.

However, the plaintiffs argue that Amazon's policies are discriminatory and retaliatory. One of the plaintiffs, Jennifer Hatch, was denied a lifting restriction and a sitting break after requesting them due to her high-risk pregnancy. She was also docked unpaid time off balance and later fired for violating an attendance policy.