The employee accused management of discriminating against her as a working mom
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The assistant to a top executive at Amazon in Australia has filed a lawsuit against the online retailer after they allegedly terminated her employment over a request for flexible work hours.
In 2017, Rachel Shafner was hired directly as an executive assistant to Robert Bruce, operations director at Amazon Australia. Shafner was allegedly told she would be placed on a flexible schedule to allow her to care for her two children.
When Shafner’s husband fell ill, Shafner purportedly asked Amazon for some leeway to fulfil her parental duties. She asked permission to leave the workplace at 3pm to attend to her children and continue her shift from home.
Shafner said she had filed a request a few weeks ahead of her work anniversary on Sept 4.
In response to one of Shafner’s emails, Bruce allegedly promised to get back to her as soon as possible. However, the Amazon employee was instead dismissed on Sept. 5 after she was told her post would no longer be needed due to a restructuring, documents filed before the Federal Circuit Court in Melbourne showed.
Amazon knew Shafner would earn the right to a flexible work arrangement by Sept. 5, and that if the arrangement failed to be implemented, the employee “would likely request paid carer’s leave,” the complainant alleged.
Shafner accused Amazon of violating employment laws for dismissing her, issuing a formal warning for previous absences, and discriminating against her for being a working mother.
