A group of former Amazon warehouse employees has filed a nationwide class-action lawsuit accusing the company of systematically discriminating against pregnant workers. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in a Brooklyn federal court, alleges that Amazon denied pregnant employees basic accommodations and penalized those who took breaks to pump milk or time off for medical visits, in violation of federal law.
The plaintiffs contend that Amazon's alleged practices contravene the 2022 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. This federal law requires employers with 15 or more workers to provide reasonable accommodations for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would cause undue hardship to the business.
"Denying a pregnant worker a stool, a lighter workload, or a bathroom break is a violation of federal law — it’s that simple," said Inimai Chettiar, president of A Better Balance, a nonprofit organization representing the plaintiffs along with the law firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel. "Amazon has built an empire on speed and efficiency — speed and efficiency that too often sacrifices the rights of pregnant workers it refuses to accommodate.”
Amazon has denied the accusations, with spokesperson Kelly Nantel stating that the lawsuit's description of events is inaccurate. "Ensuring the health and well-being of our employees is one of our greatest responsibilities, and we strive to provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone, which includes supporting tens of thousands of employees with pregnancy accommodations each year," Nantel said. She added that Amazon approved "more than 99.9% of pregnancy related accommodations" over the past year and that "the accounts shared by A Better Balance contain inaccuracies and omit important details.”
A Better Balance was instrumental in the decade-long campaign that led to the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The organization highlighted the struggles of many women, particularly low-wage workers, who faced job loss after requesting accommodations such as a chair, light duty, or leave for prenatal appointments.
The law, which passed with broad bipartisan support and became effective in June 2023, has since faced legal challenges. Some Republican-led states and religious groups have objected to regulations issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that established accommodations for workers seeking abortions. A federal judge previously struck down the abortion provision, and the EEOC, now with a Republican majority, plans to revise it. Separately, Texas has filed a lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality.
Despite these disputes, the EEOC has continued to enforce the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, pursuing legal action against companies that deny pregnant workers necessary accommodations. The lawsuit against Amazon asserts that the company's alleged discriminatory and retaliatory policies against pregnant workers have been documented in previous state investigations and EEOC findings.
One plaintiff, Jennifer Hatch, described her experience working in a role that involved prolonged standing and lifting boxes. After becoming pregnant in January 2025 and receiving a doctor's recommendation for sitting breaks due to a high-risk pregnancy, her requests for a lifting restriction and periodic sitting breaks were reportedly delayed and then denied by Amazon. According to the lawsuit, when she later sought to sit in an available chair due to pregnancy-related physical distress, a manager refused, as her accommodation had not been approved. Hatch was also reportedly docked unpaid time off and later fired for violating an attendance policy after leaving work early multiple times for pregnancy-related medical issues.
"Lower wage, shift, and hourly women workers are foundational to this country’s economy — yet they’re being treated as disposable. And practices that deny pregnant workers simple accommodations that pose no threat to productivity are not just unfair, they’re illegal,” Chettiar stated.