Former Amazon loader, Alexander Margl, has filed a suit against the e-commerce giant in New Jersey state court, claiming the company fired him after he recovered from a brain injury that left him on life support.
Margl claimed in his suit against Amazon.com Inc. that his termination – and Amazon’s refusal to accommodate him or hire him back was in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination’s prohibitions on disability discrimination and retaliation.
Margl worked at Amazon’s Avenel, New Jersey, location starting in November 2019 for about seven months before he had a brain aneurysm at his home, according to his suit. He was hospitalized and placed on life support for around two weeks, the suit said.
As far as Margl knew, one of his colleagues told Amazon management about the situation, and let the company know that Margl would “obviously” not be able to clock into work while being in the hospital.
Margl was released form the hospital in June 2020 and was able to take on a modified workload, the suit stated.
“However, when Mr. Margl attempted to return to his position and/or a comparable position at Amazon with the applicable doctor’s notes, he was informed that the company had no position for him and that his position had been terminated,” he claimed in his suit.
He said the company flouted the NJLAD by discriminating against him for having a disability or perceived disability, and also fell short of its requirement to accommodate him.
Margl also claimed that the company fired him in retaliation for taking medical leave or additional accommodations that he was entitled to under the NJLAD.
As a result of Amazon’s violations of the law, he claimed, he’s dealt with physical and emotional harm, humiliation and has lost out on other job possibilities.
The former employee asked the court to grant him front and back pay and benefits with interest, as well as compensatory, punitive and special damages. He is also seeking attorney’s fees.