By Daniel Wiessner
A New York federal judge has ordered Amazon.com to comply with a subpoena from a U.S. civil rights agency investigating claims of discrimination against pregnant warehouse workers. U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield rejected Amazon's claims that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) subpoena was too broad and sought irrelevant information.
The EEOC is seeking data on requests that pregnant workers at five U.S. warehouses made for accommodations such as limits on heavy lifting and additional breaks, and whether Amazon granted or denied them. Amazon has cooperated with the investigation since it began three years ago and disagrees with the EEOC's characterization of its conduct.
The commission's probe was prompted by complaints from five women who say they faced pregnancy discrimination while working at Amazon warehouses in various states. Amazon has provided the EEOC with extensive data in response to the subpoena, but not in the specific format requested by the agency. Judge Schofield ruled that the information sought in the subpoenas was necessary for the EEOC to determine whether Amazon engaged in illegal discrimination and gave Amazon until Aug. 9 to comply.
In 2022, a New York state agency filed a complaint accusing Amazon of requiring pregnant and disabled warehouse workers to take unpaid leaves of absence instead of providing accommodations. Amazon has denied wrongdoing but acknowledged that they don't always get it right.
The EEOC issued a subpoena last year seeking information on accommodations provided to warehouse workers with disabilities. A law passed later mandates that employers accommodate workers' pregnancies regardless of how they treat workers with disabilities.
Analysis: This article discusses a federal judge's order for Amazon to comply with a subpoena related to claims of pregnancy discrimination against warehouse workers. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is investigating the allegations, and Amazon has denied any wrongdoing. The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for Amazon's workplace policies and practices, as well as potential legal consequences if discrimination is found to have occurred. It is essential for companies to ensure they are complying with anti-discrimination laws to avoid legal and reputational risks.