Amazon Warehouse Worker Files Federal Lawsuit Over Alleged Harassment For Pumping Breast Milk
A nursing mother who worked at an Amazon fulfilment centre has launched a federal civil rights lawsuit against the retail giant, claiming she faced "constant harassment" and "discriminatory practices" that forced her to stop expressing breast milk for her infant twins. Isharae Jackson, 29, alleges that managers at the Staten Island warehouse created such a hostile environment regarding her legally protected lactation breaks that she feared losing her job.
Allegations of Minute-by-Minute Monitoring and Pay Docking
According to the complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court, Jackson, who worked overnight shifts as a picker, was approved for 30-minute lactation breaks every two hours after returning from maternity leave in December 2024. However, she contends Amazon failed to implement a meaningful policy for nursing mothers. The lawsuit states the designated pumping room was a 10-15 minute walk from her workstation, making it impossible to use the facility and return within her allotted time.
Jackson accuses supervisors of monitoring her breaks down to the minute and instructing her to clock out before leaving for the room, effectively docking her pay for the travel time. The complaint details a series of accusatory questions she allegedly faced from managers, including: "Why don't you pump on your lunch time?", "Why do you need to pump so often?", and "Why can't you use your 15-minute break to pump?".
Retaliation Claims and Eventual Termination
The situation escalated, Jackson claims, when she formally complained to Human Resources and the Amazon Ethics Line. Following an investigation that found no policy violation, she alleges retaliatory actions began. In April 2025, she was written up for allegedly miscounting items—a mistake she says she could not rectify because her pumping breaks prevented her from scanning the 5,000 items required to cancel the error, a task non-nursing colleagues could complete.
By May 2025, the pressure became intolerable. "[Jackson] was not able to tolerate the ongoing harassment, and made the decision to stop pumping, in fear [of losing] her job," the complaint states. Despite further complaints, she was terminated in mid-June 2025, allegedly for opposing Amazon's discriminatory practices.
Legal Precedents and Broader Context
Although federal law protects the right to pump at work, this case joins several others against large corporations. In 2019, Amazon settled a similar lawsuit with a California warehouse worker under confidential terms. That same year, an Arizona jury awarded $3.8 million to a nursing paramedic discriminated against by her fire department. Last February, New York City settled with five NYPD officers over denied pumping facilities.
Jackson's lawsuit seeks:
- An injunction barring Amazon from discriminating against lactating mothers
- Lost wages and benefits
- Compensatory damages for emotional distress
- Punitive damages determined by a jury
- Court costs and attorneys' fees
The complaint argues Amazon, founded by one of the world's wealthiest individuals, lacked a firm and up-to-date accommodation policy for nursing mothers. Jackson's experience allegedly caused significant emotional and physical distress, highlighting ongoing challenges in enforcing workplace protections for new parents.
