On August 18, 2026, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters lodged a formal complaint with the New York State Department of Labor. The filing accuses Amazon.com, Inc. and thirteen of its subcontractors of breaching the state’s mass‑layoff protection law by terminating delivery workers in New York City and surrounding suburbs.
New York’s mass‑layoff protection statute requires employers to provide advance notice and a documented justification before carrying out large‑scale workforce reductions or plant closures. The union’s complaint alleges that the recent cuts to delivery drivers were made without satisfying those statutory prerequisites.
The Teamsters contend that the termination of delivery personnel by Amazon and its thirteen subcontractors meets the definition of a mass layoff under the law. By filing the state complaint, the union seeks enforcement of the notice requirements and any corrective measures the department may order.
The filing does not include a response from Amazon or the subcontractors, and the Department of Labor has indicated it will review the allegations. No court action has been announced, leaving the state agency as the primary forum for resolving the dispute.
The complaint underscores how New York’s labor protections apply to gig‑style delivery operations that rely on third‑party contractors. If the department finds a violation, Amazon could be required to issue the mandated notice and potentially provide additional relief to affected workers.
The Teamsters have previously employed state‑level complaints to address employment concerns, and this action follows a recent wave of delivery‑driver layoffs that impacted workers across the city and its neighboring communities.