Amazon Defeats Bias Lawsuit by Black Worker Placed on Improvement Plan

Core Points - Amazon successfully dismissed a lawsuit alleging discrimination against a Black former employee, Keesha Anderson, who claimed her duties were reduced and she was placed on a performance improvement plan [1][2] - U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian stated that Anderson did not provide sufficient evidence that her performance rating was a pretext for discrimination or that her supervisors' racial backgrounds influenced their evaluations [1][2] - The case is significant as it is one of the first to apply a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding federal employment discrimination claims, which does not require proof of concrete injuries [2] Legal Proceedings - Judge Subramanian noted that Amazon provided "legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons" for not promoting Anderson, citing a lack of necessary skills for the strategist role [2] - The lawsuit faced challenges when Anderson admitted to deleting recorded conversations with coworkers and managers, and a whistleblower turned out to be a Hispanic manager who was misquoted in Anderson's complaint [4][5] - Although Amazon sought sanctions against Anderson and her lawyer, the judge refrained from imposing penalties but cautioned against similar conduct in the future [5] Employee Experience - Anderson alleged that she was excluded from meetings, had her ideas rejected, and was limited to administrative tasks before being placed on a performance improvement plan based on minor allegations [5] - After 2.5 years at Amazon, Anderson left for a higher-paying position at Snap Inc. in February 2022 [6]