Pregnant Amazon Worker Was Fired Five Days After Being Wheeled Out of Warehouse and Hospitalised, Lawsuit

Amazon is accused of systematically discriminating against pregnant warehouse workers in a proposed nationwide class action, with four former employees alleging they were penalised or fired after requesting pregnancy-related accommodations or taking pregnancy-related leave and breaks.

The complaint, filed 8 September in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, was brought by four former Amazon warehouse workers with support from workers' rights nonprofit A Better Balance. The claims remain allegations and have not been proven in court.

Hospitalisation Followed by Termination Warning

Plaintiff Willamina Barclay alleges Amazon gave her a termination warning on 17 June 2025, one day after she was taken from its Rochester, New York, warehouse in a wheelchair and hospitalised with a pregnancy-related emergency.

The complaint says Barclay experienced severe abdominal pain after lifting heavy objects at work. Barclay alleged that Amazon counted her hospitalisation against her unpaid time-off balance and reduced her pay on the grounds that she had 'worked partially that day.' She alleges that she was fired five days later.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Amazon required pregnant workers seeking certain accommodations to provide medical documentation, including for requests to sit down or take additional restroom and water breaks. The plaintiffs further allege that pregnancy-related absences and medically necessary breaks were deducted from workers' available unpaid time or recorded as 'time off-task'. The lawsuit seeks lost wages and benefits, punitive damages, and an injunction against the alleged discriminatory practices.

Amazon Pushes Back Against the Claims

Amazon disputed the allegations, saying the four plaintiffs' accounts 'contain inaccuracies and omit important details.' Spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company provides pregnancy-related accommodations to tens of thousands of employees annually and approved more than 99.9% of such requests in the last year.

'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.

The case adds to a history of legal challenges over Amazon's treatment of warehouse workers. On 22 October 2025, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and the state's Division on Civil Rights filed a complaint alleging that Amazon discriminated against pregnant workers and workers with disabilities at warehouses across the state. In 2022, the New York State Division of Human Rights filed an administrative complaint alleging similar discrimination against pregnant and disabled workers.

Online Reactions Are Split

Separately, Reddit commenters shared anecdotal and mixed accounts of their experiences working at Amazon during pregnancy. One commenter described receiving little support while heavily pregnant, alleging they were required to continue physically demanding work during the COVID-19 pandemic and could not leave a temperature-check station for bathroom breaks. They also claimed there were not enough chairs and said their maternity leave ultimately began early.

Another commenter said they had been pregnant and on maternity leave twice while working at Amazon, adding that managers and teams were 'extremely supportive and accommodating' both times.

A third commenter said most managers and teams are supportive but claimed that 'some toxic managers fly under the radar.' The commenter advised workers experiencing problems to document their concerns and said they believed Amazon's PXT/HR function was primarily focused on protecting the company.