MCHUGH v. AMAZON.COM SERVICES, LLC et al

On July 27, 2022, Patrick McHugh (“Plaintiff”), represented by Daniel S. Orlow, filed a civil rights action against Amazon.com Services, LLC; Amazon.com Services, Inc.; and Amazon.com Dedc, LLC (collectively “Amazon” or “Defendants”), seeking declaratory relief and damages for Defendants’ alleged unlawful discrimination and retaliation. This case was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey with Judge Christine P. O'Hearn and Judge Sharon A. King presiding.

In the complaint, the plaintiff stated, “Plaintiff was hired by Defendants on or about September 9, 2013 as an Area Manager. In or about June 2015 Plaintiff was promoted to Operations Manager based on his performance and qualifications. In or about September 2017 Plaintiff was recruited to oversee an ‘Amazon Fresh’ fulfillment center, again based on his performance and qualifications.”

The plaintiff further stated, “Upon his transfer to Senior Manager of Program Management for Launch Operations, Plaintiff reported to Karthik Gangiredla, Director. In the Spring of 2020 Plaintiff began reporting directly to Patrick Goodwin.”

The plaintiff alleged, “Shortly after Plaintiff began reporting to Goodwin, Defendants re-organized various aspects of its executions teams and created multiple new positions with the title Senior Regional Manager. On or about September 17, 2020, Defendants failed to promote Plaintiff to Senior Regional Manager. Gangiredla and Patel made the decision to promote Syed to the Senior Regional Manager position instead of Plaintiff.”

The plaintiff further alleged, “Defendants told Plaintiff that Syed was the preferable candidate for the position. Gangiredla and Patel have demonstrated a bias in favor of Indian employees with respect to promotional opportunities within their respective organizations. Following Syed’s promotion to Senior Regional Manager, Gangiredla ignored Plaintiff, substantially limited his communication with him, excluded him from communications related to his job duties, and repeatedly moved or cut short scheduled one-on-one meetings with him.”

The plaintiff then alleged, “On or about September 20, 2020, Plaintiff asked Patel why he had not been promoted to Senior Regional Manager. On or about January 13, 2021, Gangiredla unjustly criticized Plaintiff’s direct report, Kathryn Budd (female) and blamed her for the performance failures of a male co-worker. On or about January 19, 2021, in a phone call with Syed, Plaintiff complained of sex discrimination in connection with Defendants’ treatment of Budd (female). After Plaintiff informed Budd that she would be issued a Coaching Plan, Syed unjustly criticized Plaintiff’s performance, and told Plaintiff that his performance had not met expectations for 2020. Syed made numerous false statements and misrepresentations of fact in his feedback to Plaintiff.”

The plaintiff additionally alleged, “Before Plaintiff complained of sex discrimination, Plaintiff had not received any indication that Defendants supposedly found his performance to be deficient. On or about  February 18 and 23, 2021, Plaintiff informed Jessica Duenas (human resources) that he did not understand how he went from a promotional track to not meeting expectations in a matter of months, and that he had received no negative feedback throughout the previous year. Gangiredla blamed Plaintiff for things outside his control and unjustly criticized his performance.”

The plaintiff also alleged, “As a direct and proximate result of the discriminatory and retaliatory conduct of Defendants, Plaintiff has in the past incurred, and may in the future incur, a loss of earnings and/or earning capacity, loss of benefits, pain and suffering, embarrassment, humiliation, loss of self- esteem, mental anguish, and loss of life’s pleasures, the full extent of which is not known at this time.”

Plaintiff stated three claims for relief, including claims for the alleged violation of Title VII, Section 1981 and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

In its prayer for relief, the plaintiff requested a judgment for declaratory relief and an award of damages, along with costs of litigation and reasonable attorney’s fees.

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