In a complaint filed in federal court in the United States, Amazon was accused of discriminating against women and Black workers while openly promoting diversity and social justice. Charlotte Newman, a Black woman who leads Amazon Web Services’ Underrepresented Founder Start-up Business Growth, claims in the suit that she has been threatened, sexually abused, and prevented from rising to roles that she deserves at the company.
Like Charlotte Newman, many other Black and female Amazon workers, were subjected to a systematic pattern of insurmountable discrimination based on the skin colour and gender, according to the complaint. Newman is calling for her case to be heard by a jury and for unspecified monetary damages to be awarded.
In response to an AFP question, an Amazon spokeswoman said, Amazon works hard to promote a diverse, fair, and inclusive community, and these allegations do not represent those efforts or our values. Amazon do not tolerate any kind of discrimination or abuse, and they will investigate all allegations thoroughly before taking appropriate action.
The lawsuit’s accusations are being investigated by Amazon, according to the spokeswoman. Newman said she was hired as a public policy manager at Amazon four years ago and rapidly rose through the ranks, performing work that would normally be delegated to higher-level staff and earning less than her white co-workers. According to the lawsuit, she filed a written complaint in June of last year, alleging abuse by a male executive and “discriminatory behaviour” displayed by Amazon managers.
She lodged a complaint with the Office of Human Rights in Washington DC, later that year, according to the filing. According to the lawsuit, Amazon practises include placing Black workers in lower-paying positions at levels below their qualifications and expertise, and then making them wait longer for promotions.
