On Tuesday, Amazon was hit with a proposed nationwide class action lawsuit that accuses the company of systematically discriminating against many pregnant employees, even terminating some who allegedly took too much time off.
The lawsuit, filed by four former warehouse workers, claims that Amazon routinely breaches federal and New York laws designed to protect workers by denying essential accommodations for pregnant employees. These include providing basic chairs, allowing reasonable bathroom and water breaks, and granting time off for prenatal visits.
Moreover, the complaint states that Amazon threatens and frequently fires pregnant workers who take too much time off. It also alleges that the company demands medical documentation from those requesting accommodations, actions that violate both the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and New York state labor laws.
“Amazon is one of this country’s largest employers, and it’s no surprise many of its workers become pregnant,” the filing states from a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. “Yet Amazon violates the law at every turn.”
In response, Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, asserted that the company accommodates tens of thousands of pregnant employees each year, having approved more than 99.9% of accommodation requests in the past year. “Ensuring the health and well-being of our employees is one of our greatest responsibilities,” she added.
The lawsuit is seeking compensation for lost pay and benefits, punitive damages, and a court order to prevent discrimination against pregnant workers.
Amazon has a history of facing legal challenges regarding its treatment of employees, including those attempting to unionize.
As the second-largest private employer in the U.S. behind Walmart, Amazon had approximately 1.58 million full-time and part-time workers by the end of 2025.
Hospitalization led to dismissal, lawsuit claims
This recent lawsuit was initiated by A Better Balance, a nonprofit advocating for workers’ rights. It follows a New Jersey lawsuit from 11 months ago, which accused Amazon of widespread discrimination against warehouse employees with disabilities or those who were pregnant. New York had filed a similar case back in 2022.
One of the plaintiffs, Willamina Barclay, shared that Amazon issued her a termination warning on June 17, 2025, just a day after she had to be taken by wheelchair from its Rochester, NY, warehouse to the hospital due to a pregnancy-related emergency.
Barclay reported experiencing significant abdominal pain from lifting heavy items, but Amazon claimed her hospital visit exceeded her allowable unpaid leave and penalized her for “partially working” that day.
According to the complaint, she was let go just five days after this incident.
Nantel countered, claiming that the accounts from the four plaintiffs “contain inaccuracies and omit important details.”
Looking ahead, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is expected to propose changes to regulations related to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in November. The agency has aligned with previous administrative policies, and EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas noted in 2024 that the current regulations for pregnant employees may be excessively broad.
As of now, the EEOC has not responded to requests for comment, nor has the office of New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, whose predecessor filed the state lawsuit.
