To: Andy Jassy, Beth Galletti

Amazon: Stop Violating the Rights of Disabled Employees!


The Issue

A recent article highlights the ongoing struggle of Amazon employees with disabilities facing systemic discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. This exposé underscores the urgent need for Amazon to overhaul its policies and practices to truly support employees with disabilities.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/30/disabled-amazon-workers-discrimination

One stark example: An Amazon worker who suffered multiple strokes and can no longer drive asked for remote work as a necessary disability accommodation. Instead of honoring this request, Amazon told them to “just move closer” to the office or take public transit—an unacceptable and discriminatory response.

This is just one of many stories revealing how Amazon denies real, verified accommodations—an ongoing violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are calling on Amazon leadership to act now and implement meaningful reforms to ensure full compliance and respect for disability rights.

Why is this urgent?

Recent surveys among Amazon employees with disabilities reveal a distressing reality:
  • 93% report policies harmful to their well-being.
  • 71% say their accommodation needs are unmet or denied.
  • 50% experience hostile work environments after requesting accommodations.
  • 92% lack accessible communication or reporting channels.
  • 77% are told they don’t qualify for roles despite meeting basic criteria.
  • 92% face unfair treatment, including denial of promotions or resources.
  • Nearly 70% fear requesting future accommodations due to retaliation.
  • 80% believe management dismisses their concerns.

These alarming statistics expose a workplace rife with discrimination, retaliation, and systemic failure—especially for those with disabilities. Amazon’s refusal to address these issues perpetuates harm, undermines trust, and violates legal obligations.

Our Demands

In light of these injustices, we demand immediate, comprehensive action from Amazon to rectify these violations and build an inclusive, accessible workplace:

  1. Transparent Interactive Process:
    Ensure all accommodation requests are responded to promptly, documented, and explored thoroughly, including all viable alternatives.

  2. Guarantee Remote & Flexible Work:
    Employees must retain the right to work remotely or with flexible schedules if medically necessary, supported by proper documentation—without arbitrary limits.

  3. Eliminate Automated Denials:
    Disallow AI-based automatic rejection systems; decisions must involve human review. Publish algorithms and rationales for transparency and accountability.

  4. Revise Hiring & Leave Policies:
    Extend timeframes, ensure pay matching, and clarify procedures—eliminating vague language that dismisses or dismisses employees’ accommodation needs.

  5. Accessible Tools & Procedures:
    All workplace communication, reporting, and tools must be accessible to employees with disabilities.

  6. Enforce Anti-Retaliation & Safe Reporting:
    Implement strict policies with confidential channels for reporting discrimination, with penalties for violations.

  7. Ongoing Disability Rights Training:
    Regular training for management and HR, with policies developed in collaboration with the disability union group.

  8. Prompt Safety & Accessibility Improvements:
    Conduct audits and address hazards swiftly.

  9. Clear, Consistent Policies:
    Publish all policies affecting employees with disabilities—fully transparent and compliant with the ADA.

  10. Independent Oversight:
    Appoint an independent body to monitor compliance, investigate complaints, and enforce policies.

  11. Protect Privacy & Fair Investigations:
    Publish clear policies on HIPAA protections, investigations, and handling of discrimination complaints—ensuring confidentiality.

  12. Remove Arbitrary Timelines:
    Provide adequate time for medical documentation requests or delays caused by Amazon without penalizing employees.

  13. Stop Interference with Collective Bargaining:
    Cease retaliation and interference against union organizing efforts. Amazon must respect workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, including protecting the newly formed disability union group.

The recent NLRB complaint against Apple for interfering with workers’ organizing efforts sets a precedent—Amazon's ongoing violations must be addressed immediately.


Why is this important?

The Moral and Legal Obligation

For millions of Americans with disabilities—veterans, short-term, long-term, or permanent—access to employment should not be a barrier or a source of fear. Amazon’s policies, as they stand, exclude hundreds of thousands of employees and up to 70 Million American's with disabilities from applying or retaining employment due to arbitrary, discriminatory practices. For Amazon, the Fortune 2 company, one of the largest in the world with over 500 Billion in revenue per year and over 1.4 million employees, this is simply unacceptable.

Amazon, as one of the world's largest employers, has a moral and legal obligation to uphold the rights of its employees. The systemic discrimination and retaliation documented here are unacceptable and must be remedied without delay.

Fixing these issues are not optional, these affect the very livelihoods of those with disabilities, whether they can put food on the table or not. Those with disabilities cannot always just find another job, some are wrongfully fired or when experiencing these issues may then go bankrupt, face additional medical issues or go homeless. The requests in this document are not nice to haves. They are not just because we want this, they are necessary to properly be accommodated and to adhere to the ADA. It requires a change of policies, procedures in a transparent way and with input from actual employees with disabilities at Amazon.

We call on Amazon leadership to take decisive action—reform policies, uphold the ADA, and create a truly inclusive workplace where all employees are valued and protected.




We Stand United

Join us in demanding accountability and change. Sign the petition, share your stories, and stand with Amazon employees with disabilities fighting for their rights.

Together, we can push Amazon to do better.


_____________________________________________________________________

To  Amazon Leadership: 

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy

S-Team

Beth Galetti - SVP, People eXperience and Technology

Eric Sjoding - Director, Employee Relations Amazon

Bob Rathbun - President

Jenna holsberger - Manager, Operations Disability and Leave Services Amazon)

Elayna Feltus Sr. Manager Talent Acquisition

Ian Wilson - VP and Global Head, Human Resources

Theunis Kotze - Sr. Manager, US Accommodations

Megan Smith - Head of People Accessibility at Amazon

Brent Jaye - President, Amazonian Experience and Technology

 ___________________________________________________

Sincerely,

Members of Amazon Disability Union & Allies