Jeff Bezos sued by ex-housekeeper over racial bias, long hours

Jeff Bezos was sued by a former housekeeper who claims she was subject to racial discrimination by his staff and forced to work long hours in unsanitary conditions without rest or meal breaks.

Mercedes Wedaa, who joined the billionaire Amazon.com Inc. founder’s staff in September 2019, sometimes worked 10 to 14 hours a day and supervised a team of five to six housekeepers, according to her complaint filed Tuesday in Seattle state court.

Staff didn’t have a designated break room or rest area and no easily accessible restroom, according to the complaint. Housekeeping staff would try to eat in a laundry room, and were prohibited from using a toilet in a nearby security room, forcing them to climb out a window to access a bathroom, according to the complaint.

“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 an emailed statement.