Amazon have had a complaint filed against them for discriminating against pregnant workers and disabled workers.
The New York state’s Division of Human Rights issued a complaint against the online retail giant alleges it “engages in discrimination” against vulnerable staff in the warehouse.
Governor Kathy Hochul vowed to “hold any employer accountable” no matter the size for not respecting their workforce after the company - which was founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos - faces claims it forced workers to take unpaid leave.
She said in a statement: "My administration will hold any employer accountable, regardless of how big or small, if they do not treat their workers with the dignity and respect they deserve. New York has the strongest worker protections in the nation and was one of the first to have protections for workers who are pregnant and those with disabilities. Working men and women are the backbone of New York and we will continue to take a stand against any injustice they face."
The complaint details the need for the e-store - which raked in $36 billion in profits in 2021- failed to make “reasonable accommodation” for people needing reduced hours or pregnant people tasked with carrying boxes over 25 pounds.
About the allegations, a company spokesperson expressed their “surprise” at the news that could impact their 23 sites across the Empire State
The Amazon representative told CNBC: "We're surprised by the governor's announcement […] because we've been cooperating and working closely with her investigator on this matter and had no indication a complaint was coming."
Due to their being blind-sided, they added: "Since we haven't received the complaint ourselves yet, we're not in a position to comment further."
