The e-commerce giant Amazon is facing a new lawsuit in the US. The company is accused of systematically discriminating against pregnant workers. The lawsuit, filed by four former warehouse employees, alleged that pregnant workers were denied basic workplace accommodations, including bathroom breaks, water breaks, chairs and time off for prenatal appointments.
According to an exclusive report by USA TODAY, the proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. The complaint claims that Amazon violated federal and New York laws designed to protect pregnant workers.
The lawsuit also makes serious allegations about how Amazon allegedly treated employees who needed additional time away from work because of their pregnancies.
According to the complaint, Amazon allegedly threatened and regularly fired pregnant employees who took too much time off. It also claims that workers asking for accommodations were required to provide medical documentation.
“Amazon violates the law at every turn,” the complaint reportedly said.
The case has been filed against Amazon by four former warehouse workers, who are seeking damages. This includes compensation for lost wages and benefits.
One of the plaintiffs, 38-year-old Willamina Barclay, told USA TODAY that she was taken out of an Amazon warehouse in Rochester, New York, in a wheelchair during her shift in June 2025.
Barclay said that for several weeks before the incident, she had repeatedly asked Amazon for basic workplace accommodations. These included a job where she could sit, extra breaks, avoiding repeated squatting, not climbing ladders and lifting no more than 15 pounds.
She said she needed these changes because her doctor had classified her pregnancy as high-risk. She was also recovering from a miscarriage she had recently suffered while at work.
It is important to note that the claims are allegations made in the lawsuit and have not been established in court.
