Alleging retaliation, a domestic violence survivor fights Amazon for her job

Washington state's Domestic Violence Leave Act ensures that survivors of domestic violence can take the necessary time to find child care, attend court cases, or relocate.

A former Amazon employee alleges that she was retaliated against by the company because she took that leave.

When Leslie Tullis requested time off to get herself and her children out of an increasingly abusive home, she was threatened with disciplinary action. Then, Tullis alleges she was fired by her employer, Amazon, for taking that leave.

In 2008, a law was passed in Washington state to help people experiencing domestic violence like Tullis. The Domestic Violence Leave Act mandates that employers allow workers who are experiencing domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault unpaid time off that may go beyond available paid time off.

Amazon maintains that they've had a policy in place since the law was enacted in 2008.

"It is a very interesting dynamic, because the nature of this leave does mean that workers won't be there for an extended period of time," said Lauren Rosenblatt, who wrote about Leslie Tullis' story in The Seattle Times. "But the law is supposed to protect their job while they're getting themselves safe."

After asking for her leave, Tullis was placed on a performance improvement plan, basically a set of expectations for workers to meet. Rosenblatt says that Tullis' manager determined that she did not meet those expectations.

"They said it was because of poor performance, not related to her time off work," Rosenblatt said. "Leslie feels that it is related to the time she took off work. She feels that it's retaliation for requesting to use the leave."

Tullis has taken Amazon to court and filed an unfair termination with the Department of Labor. Tullis ultimately wants the court to compel Amazon to reinstate her.

Rosenblatt spoke to Soundside about her story and how Tullis is fighting to help domestic violence survivors at Amazon.