In April 2021, an anonymous colleague told Anderson there was a scheme to get rid of her because she’d been labeled a problem employee after complaining about her former manager. Anderson said she wasn’t sure who to trust, and shortly after being assigned another new manager, she decided to resign in January 2022.
Judge’s Skepticism and Future Steps
Amazon argued the court should ignore the supposed whistleblower’s account because it’s hearsay. Judge Subramanian also expressed skepticism about an anonymous insider randomly confirming Anderson’s suspicions of a conspiracy to oust her, especially since her bosses allegedly tried to get her to stay.
“However, the identity of and statements made by the alleged whistleblower will be subjects of discovery,” Judge Subramanian wrote. “And as this case continues, the court expects counsel for both sides to strictly adhere to their obligations to ensure that the parties’ factual contentions have (or will have) evidentiary support.”
Amazon Race Bias Suit : Statements from Representatives
Jessie Djata, representing Anderson, told Law360 that the former Amazon employee “is not the first woman of color to be the victim of discrimination laundering, nor will she be the last.”
