New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced the Division of Human Rights has filed a complaint against Amazon alleging it discriminates against pregnant workers and workers with disabilities at its facilities.
Amazon also allegedly forces pregnant workers and workers with disabilities to take unpaid leaves of absence, rather than providing them with reasonable accommodations, according to the complaint.
The state cites several cases where Amazon allegedly failed to reasonably accommodate workers within its facilities. In one incident, a pregnant worker was given approval to avoid lifting packages over 25 pounds, but a manager refused to follow the accommodation, which meant the worker kept lifting heavy items.
Amazon denied additional accommodations after the worker was injured, and they were subsequently put on “indefinite unpaid leave,” the complaint alleges.
The division claims Amazon fails to provide reasonable accommodations, in part, because it allows managers to override recommendations made by “Accommodation Consultants,” whose job it is to evaluate and recommend accommodations.
Investigators claim Amazon’s conduct violates the state’s Human Rights Law, which prohibits discriminating against workers who are pregnant and disabled, among other factors, in the workplace.
They’re calling on Amazon to “pay civil fines and penalties to the State of New York,” as well as cease its discriminatory conduct, and adopt non-discriminatory policies and practices concerning requests for accommodations, among other remedies.
Amazon’s labor practices, including its treatment of pregnant workers, have been criticized in the past. Amazon has faced lawsuits from workers at its warehouses, who alleged the company failed to accommodate them once they were pregnant, then fired them for failing to meet performance standards, according to CNET.
And last September, six U.S. senators wrote to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, urging the agency to investigate a “concerning pattern of mistreatment of pregnant employees” at Amazon warehouses.
Representatives from Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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