Amazon Ordered to Comply with Pregnancy Bias Probe

A judge has ruled that Amazon must comply with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) investigation into alleged pregnancy discrimination at five of its warehouses. The EEOC is seeking data on accommodation requests made by pregnant workers, such as limits on heavy lifting and additional breaks, to determine if Amazon engaged in illegal discrimination.

Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson stated that the company has cooperated with the EEOC's investigation, which began three years ago, and disagreed with the EEOC's portrayal of its conduct. Stephenson emphasized that Amazon is proud of the benefits it offers to pregnant workers and is eager to demonstrate that the EEOC's concerns are unfounded. The investigation was initiated by complaints from five women who claimed they faced discrimination while working at Amazon warehouses in New Jersey, Connecticut, North Carolina, and California.

In her ruling, Judge Lorna Schofield stated that the information sought by the EEOC was essential for determining whether Amazon violated discrimination laws and set a compliance deadline of August 9. This ruling comes amid other allegations, including a 2022 complaint by a New York state agency accusing Amazon of forcing pregnant and disabled workers to take unpaid leaves instead of providing accommodations. Amazon has denied any wrongdoing but acknowledged that they don't always handle these issues correctly.

(Article based on reporting by Daniel Wiessner for Reuters)