Steven Johnson has filed a compelling lawsuit against Amazon.com Services LLC, alleging a series of racially discriminatory practices and retaliatory actions that have left him in a hostile work environment. The complaint was lodged in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on January 7, 2026, with Amazon as the defendant. Johnson’s claims center around violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1981, asserting that he faced race discrimination and retaliation after reporting inappropriate conduct by his supervisor.
The narrative begins with Steven Johnson, an African-American male who started working at Amazon in May 2020. Due to his exemplary performance, he was promoted to Senior Operations Manager. However, his career took a troubling turn following comments made by his supervisor, Derrik Johnson, during a staff meeting that were racially insensitive and referenced the murder of George Floyd. Despite raising concerns through Amazon’s Ethics Hotline in October 2023 and an internal investigation confirming policy violations by Derrik Johnson, no effective action was taken to address these issues.
Instead of resolving the situation, Steven Johnson found himself transferred to another facility under suspicious circumstances in March 2024. This transfer led to further retaliatory actions as he was placed on multiple Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) without justification. These actions were allegedly initiated by Derrik Johnson as retribution for Steven’s complaints about racial discrimination. Despite consistently outperforming these PIPs, Steven faced ongoing hostility and uncertainty regarding his employment status.
The plaintiff asserts that these retaliatory measures culminated in constructive discharge due to the intolerable work conditions created by Amazon’s management team. Steven filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on August 23, 2025, which is currently under investigation. He plans to amend his complaint to include Title VII causes of action upon receiving a right-to-sue letter from the EEOC.
In seeking justice, Steven Johnson requests several forms of relief from the court: back pay and benefits with interest; front pay or reinstatement; compensation for emotional distress; punitive damages; declaratory and injunctive relief; coverage of legal costs; and prejudgment interest. He emphasizes that Amazon’s refusal to address these issues has caused him significant pain and suffering.
Representing Steven Johnson is attorney Jack Rosenberg from Atlanta, Georgia. The case is presided over by Judge TWT-JSA under Case ID 1:26-cv-00058-TWT-JSA.
Source: 126cv58_Steve_Johnson_v_Amazon_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia.pdf.pdf
