A former housekeeper for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos filed a lawsuit against the billionaire Tuesday, claiming she experienced “unsafe and unhealthy work conditions” while working at his home in Medina, Washington.
Plaintiff Mercedes Wedaa claimed that Bezos did not adequately provide her with meal and rest breaks on days when she allegedly labored between ten to fourteen hours, the filing in Seattle’s King County Superior Court asserted, according to CNBC. Wedaa also accused the Bezos and others of racial discrimination, according to the outlet.
In addition to accusing the tech billionaire, Wedaa is suing Zefram, LLC, and Northwestern, LLC, which managed his Seattle property and investments, according to the lawsuit.
A housekeeper who says she worked for Jeff Bezos has sued the Amazon founder, alleging she worked 10 to 14-hour days, with no breaks, and faced racial discrimination. https://t.co/bCXu70tOyK
— Observer (@observer) November 3, 2022
Wedaa and other workers were also prohibited from using the restroom in a nearby security room, forcing some employees to climb out a small window in order to reach a restroom, the lawsuit claimed. These difficulties allegedly caused many workers to develop urinary tract infections.
When asked for more details, Wedaa’s attorney, Patrick Leo McGuigin, said he “did not question my client ad nauseum,” according to The Washington Post.
“She had to climb out a window. That’s the key fact. … I can’t explain every circumstance and every piece of evidence there is. There’s a lot of discovery to take place,” McGuinin continued.
Bezos’ attorney, Harry Korrell, said Wedaa’s claims were baseless. “Ms. Wedaa made over six figures annually and was the lead housekeeper,” Korrell stated. “She was responsible for her own break and meal times, and there were several bathrooms and breakrooms available to her and other staff.”
