Amazon Accused of Systemic Discrimination Against Disabled Workers in Corporate Roles

Disabled corporate workers at Amazon have raised serious allegations against the company, accusing it of systemic discrimination and the aggressive suppression of their organizing efforts. At the heart of these complaints is the claim that Amazon uses artificial intelligence (AI) systems to deny accommodation requests in a manner that may not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Key Allegations

• Automated Denial of Accommodations: Workers allege that their requests for accommodations are being denied in an automated or semi-automated fashion, without meaningful dialogue or explanation.
• Suppression of Organizing Efforts: Messages and petitions shared on an employee Slack channel focused on disability and accessibility issues have been removed, with Amazon citing violations of company policy regarding the use of electronic systems for solicitation.
• Retaliation Fears: One employee, who was a leader in the campaign to organize disabled workers, was fired during the course of the investigation, leading to widespread fear among other employees.

The Workers' Demands

In a 33-page letter to Amazon's top executives, including CEO Andy Jassy, the workers demanded immediate action to reform policies they claim violate the ADA. They highlighted:

• Internal polls showing 93% of respondents with disabilities felt harmed by current policies.
• 71% reported more than half of their accommodation requests were denied or unmet.
• 92% cited a lack of an accessible job accommodation process.

Amazon's Response

Amazon has denied allegations of discrimination or retaliation against employees for organizing. The company stated that its disability and leave services team ensures access to accommodations, driven by empathy, and denied that AI is used for case processing or decision-making in the accommodation process.

Broader Context

This controversy emerges as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has recently addressed employers' suppression of workers' organizing efforts on platforms like Slack. In a related case, the NLRB issued a complaint against Apple for similar allegations, though the case was later postponed.

Amazon has previously been recognized as a best place to work for disability inclusion, a ranking from a non-profit it funds. However, the company has also faced legal challenges related to its treatment of disabled workers, including lawsuits alleging failure to provide reasonable accommodations.

Photograph: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images