Billionaire Jeff Bezos has been sued by a former housekeeper who claims she faced racial bias and unsanitary working conditions at the Amazon founder’s home. She also complained of working long hours where she was unable to take legally-required breaks and did not have easy access to a washroom.
According to a Bloomberg report, Mercedes Wedaa filed a complaint in Seattle state court Tuesday alleging that she sometimes worked 10 to 14 hours a day at Bezos’ property, where she supervised five to six housekeepers in her role as lead housekeeper.
Wedaa’s lawsuit was filed against Jeff Bezos and two entities through which he manages his personal investments and properties - Zefram LLC and Northwestern LLC, reports GeekWire.
According to the complaint, staff did not have a designated break room at Bezos’ house. Members of the housekeeping staff were also forced to climb out of a window and run along an exterior path to access a bathroom used by groundskeepers, because they were not allowed to enter the main house when Bezos or his family was present, except to clean it.
Wedaa also alleged that one of Bezos’ managers became “aggressive and abusive” with her, and treated her and other Hispanic staff members differently than White employees.
Wedaa worked primarily at the Amazon founder’s Seattle residence, and occasionally at one of his other homes. The suit alleges that she was wrongfully terminated after complaining of discrimination and unfair working conditions.
“We’ve investigated these claims, they have no merit, and we’ll defend against them,” Harry Korrell, an attorney who represents Bezos and other defendants, said in a statement to Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, an insider with Northwestern LLC, speaking to GeekWire on the condition of anonymity, also dismissed Wedaa’s claims as false. The person said that Bezos’ staff had two areas that served as break rooms, and both had seating, microwave, fully-stocked refrigerators, air fryer and coffee machine, along with snacks.
“There are multiple bathrooms available for staff use near these break-rooms. Free lunches were ordered for and delivered to the staff daily,” the person said.
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