Amazon faces class-action lawsuit alleging discrimination against pregnant workers

Amazon is facing a new class-action lawsuit alleging the retail giant has failed to provide basic workplace accommodations for pregnant employees and has engaged in deliberate policies of retaliation. Filed in a Brooklyn federal court, the suit leverages the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires employers to offer reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

The lawsuit claims Amazon's policies violated the law by requiring doctor's notes for basic accommodations and by failing to allow legally protected pregnancy-related breaks. The four named plaintiffs, formerly employed at Amazon warehouses in New York, detail instances where they allege they were denied accommodations and subsequently disciplined or fired during their pregnancies.

"As our lawsuit details, Amazon regularly violates the law. Under its policies, pregnant workers are not protected, and they face retaliation for exercising their rights," said Debbie Greenberger, a partner at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel, LLP, in a statement. She added, "Too often, pregnant women working at Amazon warehouses have to risk their health or their pregnancy just to do their jobs."

An Amazon spokesperson stated the company conducted "thorough" internal reviews of the cases mentioned in the lawsuit and noted inaccuracies in some details. The company also stated that 99.9% of pregnancy accommodation requests were approved last year. The advocacy group A Better Balance reported that nearly 200 Amazon workers contacted their helpline in 2026 citing denial of basic accommodations.

This is not the first time Amazon's treatment of pregnant workers has faced scrutiny. New Jersey filed a similar civil rights lawsuit in October 2025, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has previously found Amazon in violation of multiple laws, including the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.