Black Family sues Amazon for $6.5 million for refusing to give sick ex-worker paid time off

By Jay Scott Smith

·January 8, 2019

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The family of a former Seattle Amazon employee who died of a stress-induced heart attack has filed a $6.5 million wrongful death lawsuit against the internet and retail giant.

The family of Ronald Ashley, 53, who served as a senior IT manager, is accusing the company of failing to provide adequate medical leave for him, which ultimately lead to his death in 2017, reports the New York Post.

“[The neglect shows] the bureaucratic mess at Amazon as a result of the company’s rapid expansion. Due to its fast development this corporate gargantuan is unable to keep pace with the imperative requests made by its employees,” the suit says.

Ashley fell in a hotel shower during a 2015 business trip and suffered a severe spinal injury. He was given three months of medical leave, the Post writes.

Ashley, who was also HIV positive, asked for an extension due to the injury causing complications with the disease. The company denied his requests, even after he offered to continue to work from home.

Amazon cut off his disability pay and expected him to return to work. By 2016, Ashley was experiencing financial hardship and faced eviction after months of unpaid rent.

“He didn’t tell our family that he was struggling financially because he was a very proud person,” his younger brother, Dwayne, told the Daily Mail. “When his savings started to run out the stress started to mount, and it led to the decline of his mental state.

“Ron started to isolate himself from the family,” he added. “That was not like him at all, he was very close to us. He didn’t come home for Thanksgiving, which was odd because he always cooked for the family.”

Ashley unsuccessfully appealed multiple times before he died of a heart attack in Nov. 2017. His family filed the lawsuit a year later. Amazon has not commented on the suit other than to say that the company “follows all federal, state and local laws.”

That doesn’t set well with Ronald Ashley’s family.

“[Amazon] did not give [Ronald] the benefits he was due. This was a dedicated employee,” Dwayne said. “I’m furious. He needed this disability pay when he was living, and now he’s dead. This has been so hurtful to me and my family.”