Amazon Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Alleged Discrimination Against Nursing Mother
A young mother who worked at an Amazon fulfilment centre has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, claiming that persistent harassment and discriminatory practices by her bosses forced her to stop pumping breast milk for her infant twins, ultimately leading to her dismissal. Isharae Jackson, 29, worked the overnight shift as a picker at the Staten Island warehouse and alleges a campaign of intimidation that violated her protected rights as a lactating mother.
"Constant Harassment" and Minute-by-Minute Monitoring
According to the complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court, Jackson returned from maternity leave in December 2024 after giving birth to twins. She promptly requested a reasonable accommodation to express breast milk during her shifts, which was formally approved as a 30-minute lactation break every two hours. However, Jackson contends that Amazon managers then subjected her to what she describes as "constant harassment" and "discriminatory practices."
The lawsuit details numerous accusatory questions and comments from supervisors, including: "Why don't you pump on your lunch time?", "Why do you need to pump so often?", "Who told you could pump?", and notably, "Why can't you use your 15-minute break to pump?" Managers allegedly monitored her approved breaks down to the minute and reprimanded her if she returned late from the distant mother's room.
Systemic Barriers and Pay Docking
Jackson's complaint outlines several systemic issues that made pumping practically impossible. The designated pumping room was reportedly located a considerable distance from her work area, requiring 10-15 minutes of walking time each way. This left her insufficient time to actually express milk and clean her equipment within the allotted 30 minutes. Furthermore, she was instructed to clock out before leaving for the room, effectively docking her pay for the time spent travelling.
"Amazon did not have a firm, meaningful or up-to-date policy on providing accommodations to nursing mothers," the complaint states, adding that supervisors repeatedly assigned Jackson to work stations increasingly far from the lactation room, exacerbating the time pressure.
Retaliation and Eventual Termination
After Jackson formally complained to Human Resources in January 2025 about feeling "targeted" for pumping, she alleges the situation worsened. An internal investigation concluded no policy violation had occurred. Subsequently, Jackson claims she faced retaliatory disciplinary action, including being written up in April 2025 for allegedly miscounting items—an infraction she says non-nursing colleagues could rectify but she could not due to her break schedule.
By May 2025, the emotional toll became unbearable. Jackson made the difficult decision to stop pumping altogether, fearing she would lose her job if she continued. "If it was not for Amazon's discriminatory practices, Jackson would continue nursing her twins," the complaint asserts. Despite escalating her concerns through official channels, she was terminated in mid-June 2025, allegedly for opposing the company's discriminatory practices.
Legal Precedents and Broader Context
This case emerges against a backdrop of similar legal challenges. Federal law protects the right to pump at work, yet nursing mothers have repeatedly had to litigate to enforce these rights. In 2019, an Amazon warehouse employee in Riverside County, California, sued over comparable claims, resulting in a confidential settlement. That same year, an Arizona jury awarded $3.8 million to a nursing paramedic after her employer suggested pumping was "excessive."
Jackson's lawsuit seeks multiple forms of redress, including an injunction to prevent further discrimination against lactating mothers at Amazon, compensation for lost wages and benefits, damages for emotional distress, and punitive damages to be determined by a jury. The case highlights ongoing tensions between corporate efficiency demands and federally protected workplace accommodations for new parents.
