A young mother has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Amazon, claiming the company made it extremely difficult for her to pump breast milk at work, ultimately forcing her to stop breastfeeding her infant twins altogether.
Isharae Jackson, who worked the overnight shift as a picker at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, alleges that her managers engaged in “constant harassment” and “discriminatory practices” that left her with no choice but to cease pumping. According to the lawsuit, Jackson’s supervisors closely monitored her approved lactation breaks, docking her pay for the time it took to walk to and from the distant mothers’ room. They also peppered her with accusatory questions, such as “Why don’t you pump on your lunch time?” and “Why do you need to pump so often?”
Despite reaching out to human resources with her concerns, Jackson claims Amazon failed to take any meaningful action. Instead, the company allegedly retaliated against her, writing her up for a minor counting error that other non-nursing employees were able to easily rectify. The lawsuit states that each time Jackson complained about discrimination, she was met with further disciplinary action.
Ultimately, the 29-year-old New Jersey mother says the “ongoing harassment” became too much, and she was forced to stop pumping milk for fear of losing her job. “If it was not for [Amazon’s] discriminatory practices, [Jackson] would continue nursing her twins,” the complaint reads.
Jackson is now seeking an injunction to prevent Amazon from engaging in any further discrimination against lactating mothers, as well as lost wages, compensatory damages, and punitive damages. The case highlights the continued challenges nursing mothers face in the workplace, despite federal laws protecting their right to pump breast milk.
An Amazon spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.
