Amazon.com is facing a proposed class action lawsuit in New York, accusing the e-commerce giant of enforcing a punitive absence policy that unfairly targets warehouse employees with disabilities. The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Amazon’s attendance system penalises workers who request legally-protected accommodations by forcing them onto unpaid leave and threatening termination for missed work.
The lawsuit, led by Cayla Lyster, an employee at an Amazon warehouse near Syracuse, claims that the company’s policies discourage workers from seeking help. Lyster, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome—a connective tissue disorder—said Amazon repeatedly placed her on unpaid leave while reviewing her requests for basic accommodations such as being allowed to sit on a chair and avoiding tasks that required climbing ladders.
According to the complaint, employees placed on unpaid leave receive intimidating emails demanding explanations for their absences within 48 hours, warning that failure to respond could lead to termination. The filing describes this as part of Amazon’s “punitive absence control system,” which allegedly pressures workers to forgo their legal right to reasonable workplace accommodations.
The case seeks damages on behalf of all hourly warehouse workers in New York who, over the past three years, requested or planned to request disability accommodations. A legal group, assisting in the lawsuit, said the company’s practices force employees to choose between their health and their livelihood.
This lawsuit comes just weeks after New Jersey’s Attorney General filed a separate complaint against Amazon, accusing the company of denying accommodations for pregnant employees and workers with disabilities. Amazon has denied those claims, stating that it approves more than 99 per cent of all pregnancy-related accommodation requests.
The New York case, Lyster v. Amazon.com Services LLC (No. 25-09423), adds to growing scrutiny over Amazon’s labour practices and treatment of vulnerable workers within its vast warehouse network.
