A former Amazon warehouse worker from San Bernardino has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging discrimination and retaliation after he was injured on the job.
Juan Loera said he injured his back while lifting heavy packages at an Amazon warehouse. According to the lawsuit, Loera reported the injury and later received a doctor’s note allowing him to continue working with restrictions.
Loera’s attorney, Lauren Teukolsky, said Amazon initially accommodated those restrictions by moving him to a department that handled lighter packages and required less physically demanding work. According to the complaint, Loera was placed in a department known as AR Induct, where workers typically process smaller items than those handled in other warehouse operations.
The lawsuit alleges Loera worked in that role for about six months without issue. But Teukolsky claims Amazon later placed him on unpaid leave, despite Loera’s medical clearance providing him authorization to continue working in a light-duty position.
According to the lawsuit, Loera objected to the leave and believed there were other positions in the warehouse that could accommodate his restrictions. The complaint alleges Amazon did not provide an explanation for the decision and later terminated his employment.
Teukolsky said the lawsuit seeks damages for wages Loera lost while he was on unpaid leave and after he was fired. The case also asks the court to order changes to Amazon’s policies regarding injured workers.
“We think it's important to hold Amazon accountable but also to persuade it to change its practices when it comes to employees who are injured on the job,” Teukolsky said.
The lawsuit also alleges Loera spoke with coworkers about workplace safety and encouraged them to raise concerns about injuries.
Studies and government reports have shown that Amazon warehouse workers have higher injury rates than their industry counterparts. Amazon has also been accused of discouraging workers from getting outside medical care beyond first aid.
Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.
