Amazon sued over ‘punitive’ handling of employee absences

Amazon was sued on Nov12 ina proposed class action saying the retailer subjects thousands of warehouse employees with disabilities to a “punitive” policy governing workplace absences.

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Amazon was accused of docking unpaid time off when it ordered New York employees seeking accommodations for disabilities to stay home, and then threatened to fire them for missing too much work.

“Amazon’s practices chill employees’ exercise of their legal rights because employees justifiably fear they too will be disciplined and fired if they request reasonable accommodation,” according to the complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan.

The lawsuit seeks damages from Seattle-based Amazon for hourly warehouse workers in New York state over the last three years who sought or intended to seek accommodations for their disabilities.