In a ruling that shut the courthouse doors on a workplace discrimination fight, the Amazon Pansexual lawsuit escape unfolded Tuesday when a federal judge dismissed a former employee’s claims that he was harassed and fired for speaking up.
U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland granted summary judgment to Amazon.com Services LLC, rejecting Dajon Collins’ lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, sex discrimination and retaliation under Title VII.
At the center of the case: alleged slurs, internal complaints, and more than six hours of unexplained “idle time.”
Performance or Pretext?
Judge Rowland said Collins could not overcome the company’s documented performance concerns.
“The undisputed facts show Collins’s job performance failed to meet Amazon’s legitimate expectations,” she wrote. Within a matter of days, Collins was cited for two idle time violations totaling 183 minutes and 210 minutes. When asked to explain the lengthy work gaps, he offered no concrete justification.
Under company policy, workers who accumulate more than 30 minutes of unexplained idle time face discipline. More than two hours can trigger termination. Collins’ violations crossed that threshold.
The judge said questioning a supervisor’s business judgment is not enough to cast doubt on an employer’s stated reason for firing an employee — a finding that dismantled both his discrimination and retaliation claims.
