NY agency files discrimination complaint against Amazon

By HALELUYA HADERO
Associated Press

A state agency in New York has filed an administrative complaint against Amazon, alleging the e-commerce giant discriminated against pregnant and disabled workers by denying reasonable accommodations and forcing them to take unpaid leave. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement on Wednesday. Her office said Amazon employs in-house consultants who evaluate accommodation requests. The complaint alleges the retailer’s policy allows onsite managers to override the consultant’s recommendations, leading to denials in the worker requests. State law requires all employers to provide reasonable accommodation for pregnant and disabled workers. A spokesperson for Seattle-based Amazon says the company works diligently “to offer the best available options to accommodate individual situations.”