A class action lawsuit has been filed against Amazon in New York after the tech giant was accused of systemically discriminating against pregnant workers. The violations allegedly included denying workers bathroom breaks, refusing to provide chairs, and even firing pregnant employees for taking too much time off.
The complaint, which was filed by four former Amazon warehouse employees, stated that their employers frequently violated federal and New York worker-protection laws, as reported by The New York Post. Amazon allegedly denied pregnant workers basic accommodations such as chairs, water, and bathroom breaks, and time off for prenatal appointments.
The complaint also said that the company regularly threatened and fired employees who missed too much work due to their pregnancy, as well as illegally demanding medical documents for workers who sought accommodations. As per the NY.Gov website, “It is illegal for any employer in New York State to fire an employee because they are pregnant.”
New York state law also guarantees pregnant workers the right to occasional breaks to rest or drink water, a modified work schedule, time off for medical needs, and other accommodations. Amazon warehouses have a bit of a bad reputation, but if what the workers have claimed in their complaint is true, then the company may have violated their workers’ rights.
“Amazon is one of this country’s largest employers, [and] it is no surprise that many of its workers become pregnant,” the complaint states. “Yet Amazon violates the law at every turn.”
Amazon responds
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated that the retailer did provide pregnancy-related accommodations for its workers. She claimed that tens of thousands of employees received such accommodations and that 99.9% of requests were approved in the last year alone.
“Ensuring the health and well-being of our employees is one of our greatest responsibilities,” Nantel said. However, the company has faced a myriad of complaints regarding the quality of the warehouse workplace and the treatment of workers over the years. Earlier this year, workers at one Amazon warehouse in Oregon were reportedly instructed to “not look” after one of their co-workers died in the warehouse. Instead, employees were allegedly told to “get back to work.”
The lawsuit is seeking lost pay and benefits, punitive damages, and to put a stop to discrimination against pregnant workers. One plaintiff, Willamina Barclay, said she was given a termination warning one day after being admitted to hospital with a pregnancy-related emergency on June 17, 2025.
Barclay said she began experiencing abdominal pain after lifting heavy objects at work and was taken out of the NY warehouse in a wheelchair. However, Amazon claimed the hospital visit took her over the limit for unpaid time off, and five days later she says she was fired. Nantel claims the plaintiffs’ accounts “contain inaccuracies and omit important details.”
Published: Sep 9, 2026 12:34 pm