Overview
- A Better Balance filed a proposed nationwide class action in federal court in Brooklyn accusing Amazon of routinely denying basic pregnancy accommodations such as chairs, extra bathroom or water breaks, and time for prenatal appointments.
- The complaint alleges workers who missed time for pregnancy or medical needs were threatened, disciplined or fired and were sometimes required to produce improper medical documentation.
- One named plaintiff says she was taken from an Amazon Rochester warehouse in a wheelchair, hospitalized for a pregnancy-related emergency, given a termination warning the next day, and fired five days later.
- Amazon disputes the accounts and says it approved more than 99.9% of pregnancy accommodation requests last year and provides accommodations to tens of thousands of employees annually.
- The suit follows state-level cases in New Jersey and New York and could influence employer obligations and enforcement if EEOC rule changes to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act narrow or clarify employers' duties.