State Sues Amazon (again) Over Alleged Discrimination Against Pregnant and Disabled Warehouse Workers

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The State of New Jersey has filed a civil rights complaint against Amazon, alleging that the company has engaged in widespread and unlawful discrimination against pregnant employees and workers with disabilities in its warehouses statewide. The lawsuit, announced on October 22 by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR), stems from a multi-year investigation and accuses Amazon of violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD).

The complaint, filed in New Jersey Superior Court, alleges that Amazon — the state's largest private employer, with approximately 50,000 warehouse workers — has routinely denied reasonable accommodations, forced employees onto unpaid leave, and retaliated against those who sought workplace modifications for pregnancy- or disability-related needs.

According to the state, Amazon warehouse employees submitted more than 27,000 accommodation requests over a recent two-year period - more than one request per hour every day. The DCR investigation concluded that the company’s response to these requests showed “a consistent disregard for the civil rights” of affected workers, with practices that pushed vulnerable employees out of the workforce.

“Put simply, Amazon has exploited pregnant workers and workers with disabilities in its New Jersey warehouses. In building a trillion-dollar business, Amazon has flagrantly violated their rights and ignored their well-being – all while it continues to profit off their labor,” said Attorney General Platkin. “There is no excuse for Amazon’s shameful treatment of pregnant workers and workers with disabilities. Amazon’s egregious conduct has caused enormous damage to pregnant workers and workers with disabilities in our state, and it must stop now.”

Allegations in the Complaint

Among the key claims detailed in the complaint:

• Automatic Unpaid Leave: Employees requesting accommodations — such as lighter duties or temporary use of assistive devices — were frequently placed on unpaid leave, even before their requests were reviewed. Some remained on leave after requests were denied.

• Retaliatory Terminations: Workers were allegedly fired shortly after submitting accommodation requests. In one case, an employee requesting help with lifting due to a disability was terminated weeks later without the company exploring alternatives.

• Denied or Delayed Accommodations: Amazon reportedly rejected requests without considering alternative solutions or site transfers, even when required under state law. In several cases, decisions were delayed for weeks or rejected due to tight seven-day medical documentation deadlines imposed by the company.

• Failure to Engage in Interactive Process: The LAD mandates that employers work collaboratively with employees to determine suitable accommodations. The complaint asserts that Amazon routinely failed to do so, and in some cases, unlawfully closed requests when documentation was not provided within its self-imposed deadlines.

• Punitive Productivity Standards: Even when accommodations were approved, Amazon allegedly held affected workers to standard productivity metrics that did not account for their limitations. Some employees were terminated for failing to meet performance quotas their accommodations rendered unreachable.

One example cited in the complaint involved a pregnant employee granted restricted lifting duties and additional breaks, who was later terminated for not meeting her packaging targets — despite having received an approved accommodation.

“Amazon has engaged in practices that had dire financial and health consequences for pregnant and disabled workers in New Jersey," said DCR Director Yolanda N. Melville.

Legal Action and Relief Sought

The State’s 10-count complaint accuses Amazon of violating multiple provisions of the LAD, including failure to provide reasonable accommodations, retaliation, disparate treatment, and policies that disproportionately harm protected groups.

The lawsuit seeks a court injunction to halt the alleged discriminatory practices, along with:

• Civil monetary penalties and punitive damages

• Compensatory damages for affected employees, including lost wages, benefits, and damages for emotional distress

• Statewide compliance measures to prevent further violations

Broader Enforcement Context

This civil rights complaint comes days after another legal action by the State against Amazon. Earlier this week, the Attorney General and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development jointly filed a separate complaint alleging that Amazon misclassified its Flex delivery drivers as independent contractors, thereby denying them wages and legal protections guaranteed to employees.

Both lawsuits reflect ongoing scrutiny of Amazon’s labor practices in New Jersey and mark a broader effort by the state to hold large employers accountable under workplace and civil rights laws.

Amazon has not yet issued a public response to the lawsuit.

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