New York appeals court dismisses AG suit against Amazon

By HALELUYA HADERO
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — An appeals court in New York has dismissed New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against Amazon. Besides potentially exposing workers to the virus at two Amazon facilities in New York City, the lawsuit filed by James last year had said the company illegally retaliated against workers who spoke up about poor safety conditions. The appellate court ruled Tuesday federal labor law preempted state labor law, and the National Labor Relations Board “should serve as the forum” for disputes arising from conduct that’s protected or prohibited by federal labor law, not the states. It also said the efforts to require the retailer to comply with New York’s COVID-19 workplace guidelines was dismissed as moot because the restriction have since been lifted.