HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: (L-R) Venus Williams and Serena Williams attend the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Venus And Serena Williams Bring ‘Unfiltered Truth’ To X In New Podcast
Venus and Serena are teaming up off of the tennis court to give fans 'unfiltered' conversation on their new podcast.
Tennis icons Venus and Serena Williams are launching a new podcast on X.
The Williams sisters are no strangers to public speaking and the spotlight. In August, the Olympians will put their media training to use. Serena announced the launch of an unnamed podcast on her X account. The U.S. Open champion promised more than just sports talk. According to the Wimbledon champion, both she and Venus will be giving their “unfiltered truth. The show, named “Unfiltered Truth,” is produced in conjunction with Serena’s Nine Two Six Production company.
In a statement to Variety, the Williams sisters expressed excitement to use their voices to weigh in on important issues. Also, the champions state the X platform is the place that allows fans to join the conversation and provide a more intimate connection.
“We’re so excited to be launching our new podcast, a place where we will share our personal stories, have authentic conversations, spotlight important topics, and laugh a lot,” the Williams sisters said in a joint statement provided to Variety. “This platform gives us the chance to engage directly with our fans who have supported us throughout our careers, and we’re excited to connect with audiences, old and new, in a way we’ve never done before.”
The world's not ready for the real conversations @Venuseswilliams and I are going to pull out on our podcast. Don't be scared… This isn't just tennis, it's our unfiltered truth.#SisterTalk#XOriginals#Sports
Mitchell Smith, head of original content at X, is pleased to welcome the sisters to the X’s line-up of live shows that include Khloe Kardashian’s “Khloé in Wonder Land.”
“Venus and Serena are among the most recognizable and revered athletes in the world, and their decision to team up with X places them at the center of our rapidly evolving original content strategy,” said Smith.
Recruiting the Williams sisters to add their voices to the platform’s original content line-up will hopefully prove beneficial for X. The platform has seen a decline in its user base since 2024.
”In the 12 months leading up to January 2025, X (formerly Twitter) experienced a decline of 33 million users, representing a 5.3% decrease,” Global Statistics reports.
The Williams sister’s global popularity may serve to bring a few lost users back to the platforms. Together the women are the most successful sibling athletes in the world.
Congressman Charles Rangel Laid To Rest In New York
Rangel was remembered by former President Bill Clinton, New York Mayor Kathy Hochul, and others.
Funeral services for Charles Rangel were held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan on June 14. Rangel died at 94 years old.
The New York Representative was remembered for his fierce advocacy of New York, cool temperament, and mental strength.
Close friend Rev. Herbert Daughtry spoke of Rangel’s character, and how he “was able to combine what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used to call a tough mind and a gentle heart, and he achieved that combination as so few of us are able to do.”
Former President Bill Clinton also gave remarks. Clinton relayed Rangel’s ability to trouble himself with world issues while remaining focused on serving his American constituents.
“Charlie Rangel, who cared about people halfway around the world and never once took his eye off Harlem. That is the trick of all public service in a democracy,” Clinton said.
Echoing the words of Daughtry, Clinton, too, remembered the 94-year-old’s no-nonsense yet happy disposition.
“Charlie Rangel stood by every single solitary person he ever tried to help,” Clinton said, adding, “I ask all of you never to forget the smile on his face, the spring in his step, and the steel in his spine. And fight on for the world he loved and the country he believed in.”
Though reportedly a private memorial was held, Americans were allowed to pay respects., CBS reports. The decorated War Veteran lay in state at the New York City council on June 12 and had a separate public viewing at Saint Aloysius.
Decades Of Service
Rangel served in office for almost 50 years. In 1970, he won his bid for Congress, defeating Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
During his time in office, Rangel broke barriers. He is one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Furthermore, he served as the dean of the New York Congressional delegation and was the first Black person to chair the Ways and Means Committee.
Remembered for being the “Lion of Lenox Avenue,” Rangel’s political career was not without blemish. In 2010, he was convicted of violating House rules by the House Ethics Committee. Still, he would go on to serve in Congress until his retirement in 2017.
Charles Rangel passed away on May 26 at 94. He is survived by his son, Steven Rangel; daughter Alicia Rangel Haughton; and three grandsons, Howard R. Haughton, Joshua R. Haughton, and Charles R. Haughton.
Kendrick Lamar And SZA Deliver Powerful Performance In Detroit, Blending Art And Activism
Detroit is the last U.S. stop on SZA and Kendrick Lamar's Grand National Tour before heading overseas to Europe.
In a fusion of hip-hop mastery and R&B brilliance, Kendrick Lamar and SZA turned Ford Field into a powerhouse of music, energy, and visual spectacle on June 10. The stop of the Grand National Tour saw the two artists, both fresh off wins at the BET Awards the night before, deliver a near three-hour set that balanced personal artistry with collaborative chemistry, bringing a sold-out Detroit crowd to its feet.
Though billed as co-headliners, the night leaned heavily into Lamar’s domain, showcasing the Compton rapper’s signature lyrical prowess and bold creative direction to tell the story of the streets.
Lamar shared the spotlight generously with “Snooze” singer SZA, who matched his presence with her own set that marked her distinct artistry and messages of transformation and love.
Lamar aptly opened the show with “Wacced Out Murals,” the first song in the “GNX” album and one that references Detroit legend Anita Baker.
A crowd of nearly 50,000 fans screamed along to the lyrics: “Ridin’ in my GNX with Anita Baker in the tape deck, it’s gon’ be a sweet love.”
A striking visual theme ran through Lamar’s portion of the show, with the centerpiece being a black 1987 Buick Grand National Experimental — a callback to the vehicle that brought him home from the hospital as a newborn and now serves as a symbol for his latest album and tour aesthetic.
The car was featured prominently throughout the set, tying together past and present in a cinematic, storytelling experience.
Lamar proceeded to dive into a set that included fan-favorite tracks.
Most notably, Lamar’s performance was unfiltered and raw, delivering his bars with pinpoint clarity without reliance on vocal backing tracks.
“Reincarnated” and a fiery, seven-minute version of his Drake diss “Euphoria” stood out as clear high points for newer fans of Lamar.
For older fans, Lamar indulged with tracks like “King Kunta,” “HUMBLE,” and a “m.A.A.d City” rendition that paid homage to Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love.”
In a playful twist, Lamar bridged the gap between his and SZA’s solo acts by incorporating video segments portraying a fictional legal deposition.
The Compton rapper took artistic jabs at his ongoing feud with Drake, which has escalated into real-life legal action from the Toronto rapper suing Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us.
Of course, no moment rivaled the crowd’s reaction to “Not Like Us,” Lamar’s popular Drake diss track, which turned the stadium into a unified chorus. When the line “A minor!” echoed from the speakers, nearly 50,000 fans shouted it back with force, closing out his set with a bang.
SZA held her own and then some. Her set was visually rich and emotionally textured, blending soulful vocals with theatrical elements to tell the story of transformation through relationships.
With dancers surrounding her, SZA simultaneously delivered a magical set while grounding her performance in personal expression.
Highlights from her set included a rock-leaning section anchored by “Scorsese Baby Daddy,” “F2F,” and a rendition of “Kitchen.”
“Kill Bill” and “Low” offered a juxtaposition with darker themes, while “BMF” and “Kiss Me More,” her collaboration with Doja Cat, injected pop fun into the mix.
The duo joined forces mid-show for “All the Stars,” the Oscar-nominated title track from Black Panther.
Slowing the concert down for an emotional moment, the stadium lit up with cellphone lights as Lamar and SZA performed to the audience from opposite sides of the stage.
Lamar and SZA’s alternating sets complemented each other. Lamar’s grayscale grit softened by SZA’s technicolor warmth, and both came together in the show’s finale to perform their shared tracks.
SZA and KDOT’s chemistry has been honed over years of collaboration, and it was on full display in the final stretch of the night.
After the hype performance of “Not Like Us,” the show wound down gently with “Luther,” which has held the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s R&B chart for a groundbreaking 13 weeks.
The Detroit show of the GNX tour concluded with “Gloria,” a closer that gave the crowd one last emotional hit before the two stars exited the stage together in the Grand National Buick.
Detroit wasn’t just a backdrop for the concert; it was an unspoken collaborator. Home of Motown, techno, and countless reinventions, the city has always carried a reputation for resilience and innovation, themes that echoed in both artists’ discographies.
For many, the show wasn’t just entertainment. It was a display of how softness can be strength, how every experience is powerful in how it is retold—and that art can protest and entertain simultaneously.
Detroit was the last U.S. stop before the Grand National Tour took a month-long hiatus ahead of its European leg.
6 Ways A Mid-Year Financial Tune Up Can Help Vitalize Your Prosperity
A mid-year money review can show where you’re at and if any adjustments are needed to enhance your finances.
June is an optimal time to appraise your savings and financial goals before 2026 arrives.
That mid-year point can help you see if you are reserving or investing cash in what you have planned since January. It can assist you with identifying and adjusting any personal financial goals if needed and help you avoid any negative moves during the next six months.
Whether it’s making moves like erasing debt or investing extra money, the bottom line is that such an analysis can help you determine if your financial portfolio is where you want or would like it to be right now. Being proactive can help you enhance your financial status. BLACK ENTERPRISE explored and compiled tips to help give your finances a biannual upgrade.
Be aware that there are many headwinds to maneuver as you try to manage your money now in the existing business landscape. Consider America’s total value of products and services—called GDP— fell at an annual rate of 0.2% in this year’s first quarter. In contrast, it rose at an annual rate of 1.6% in the same 2024 period.
Unpredictable moves by President Donald Trump are supposedly fueling a chunk of that downturn. Observers have expressed concerns about how his tariff policies will impact U.S. consumers, including Black Americans. The National Retail Federation estimates the tariffs would cost buyers $78 billion annually.
Looking at the larger picture, brokerage giant Charles Schwab expects the nation’s economy to face a mixed bag in the upcoming months. For instance, the firm’s mid-year outlook stated that there seems to be some uncertainty with “tariff-induced inflation” among other forces.
Contrarily, it reported “stocks nearing all-time highs…the bar is relatively high for the market” in the second half of 2025.
Moreover, Black American investors may do well to not completely forsake stocks. Black experts who monitor Wall Street activity recently shared how Black investors can still flourish when the stock market fluctuates.
BE has disclosed that individuals often tend to retreat during market volatility, but perhaps should not. One reason: The stock market over the long term has helped investors build wealth if the assets are retained over extended periods
Overall, the key is being regularly diligent to reach your financial targets; based on BE research, here are some tips to help give your finances a mid-year boost.
Investment And Retirement Planning
One approach for investors is to consider having holdings in companies that are steady and high performers. They offer resilient growth and essential services that remain in demand regardless of economic conditions. They are sometimes dubbed recession-proof. They operate in many sectors, including consumer goods, utilities, telecommunications, and healthcare.
For retirement, make sure to check if you can contribute more to your 401(k) savings plan. Many companies match three percent or more of what you save. Try not to let stashing money for vacations or an emergency fund detract from your retirement savings goals. And aim to pay off debt to help enhance retirement savings.
Debt Management And Budgeting
At over $2.1 trillion, the nation’s credit card debt has hit record levels, with holiday spending contributing to that large splurge. However, experts suggest consistently paying as much as you can, and consolidating debt is a way to help counter that. Avoid transferring debt to a credit card, where the debt is not deductible. Industry professionals suggest using a debit card instead of a credit card to help trim credit card usage. Another recommendation? Make minimum payments on everything and use extra cash flow to pay more on credit cards with the highest interest rates.
On the budgeting front, pretty much now and most anytime is ideal to boost savings if you are not doing that already. Have at least six months to a year’s worth of expenses in an emergency account. That is something that you should be doing now and continuing into 2026. Be mindful that deleting debt on credit cards, car notes, and student loans should be a constant priority.
Examine Your Credit Reports Another Time
Analyzing your credit reports no less than twice a year can help unmask fraudulent activity and mistakes. Get copies of your credit reports from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian,three of the major credit bureaus. This can be a clever way to see where your credit is and help determine if you need to ask for changes if the data is debatable.
Taxes
Consider that the more taxes you withhold from your pay, the less you may owe when you file your next tax return. But be aware that too little withheld can result in you owing taxes. Check with your employer on this and what tax breaks 401(k) plans can bring.
Carefully review if you have a high-deductible healthcare plan. That could help reduce your taxes. Ask about a health savings account (HSA), a tax-exempt account that can be applied to pay medical bills. And check to see if you qualify for the earned tax credit (EITC) as well as tax-deductible charitable contributions to possibly help reduce your tax costs.
If you are an individual or business owner, the middle of the year is a good time to contact a credible financial adviser. That person may be able to offer tips you might not know about on how to potentially cut your tax debt for next year.
Be Sure Not To Ignore Life Insurance
Many Americans are unaware that life insurance can help build wealth beyond just covering burial expenses. For instance, permanent life insurance policies can potentially accumulate cash value. The money can be used for such purposes as extra retirement income. Ask what type of policies are available and how much they cost to fit your budget best.
Check Out Resources To Help You
A mid-year financial examination allows you to evaluate many elements to help better your finances. It can range from looking more closely at your credit report to using extra or unexpected cash to eliminate debt. There are ample sources to assist you. They can include this site, another here, and this one, to name a few.
Officers Sue Congress Over Delayed Jan. 6 Memorial
Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 insurrection are suing Congress for failing to install a legally mandated memorial plaque—arguing the delay is part of a broader effort to erase the truth of that day.
Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, insurrection have filed a lawsuit against Congress, demanding the installation of a long-delayed memorial plaque to honor those who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges and former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn filed the suit on June 12, the Associated Press reports.
The lawsuit argues that Congress is violating its own 2022 law mandating a tribute to officers who stood against the mob of Trump supporters. Hodges and Dunn’s suit clarifies that the 2022 law directed the Architect of the Capitol to install a commemorative plaque, but the deadline for its placement expired nearly two years ago without action being taken.
According to the lawsuit, the delay reflects a broader attempt by President Donald Trump and other members of his administration to distort public memory of the attack.
“Even those who recognized the violence of the day eventually partnered with the man who both inspired and minimized it,” Dunn and Hodges’ suit reads.
As previously reported, over 100 law enforcement officers were injured during the Jan 6 riot. Hundreds of participants in the insurrection were convicted, but Trump effectively wiped all of those convictions with a sweeping act of clemency on his first day back in the White House.
In April, Architect of the Capitol Thomas Austin testified before a House subcommittee that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had not authorized the plaque’s installation. He said Johnson holds the authority over modifications on the House side of the Capitol.
While spokespeople for both Austin’s office and Johnson did not respond to the AP’s requests for comment, the testimony has become relevant for the newly filed lawsuit.
Hodges and Dunn, both outspoken critics of Republican efforts to downplay the riot, said the lack of recognition adds to their trauma surrounding the event. “Both men live with psychic injuries from that day, compounded by their government’s refusal to recognize their service,” the lawsuit states.
Hodges was nearly crushed in a doorway during the attack. Dunn, who has spoken publicly about being subjected to racial slurs by rioters, left the Capitol Police following the insurrection.
Speaking alongside Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) on June 12, Dunn said, “It’s unfortunate that we had to file a lawsuit to compel Congress to follow their own law, but here we are.”
Raskin, who most notably led the charge on Trump’s second impeachment, praised Hodges and Dunn’s lawsuit. “All you’re asking for is the law to be followed,” he said.
Jay‑Z Lost Out On Winning $3.3 M When Indiana Pacers Won Game 3 Of The NBA Finals
The Brooklyn rapper lost a $1 million wager that the Oklahoma Thunder would win the NBA championship in five games
That $3.3 million payout will not happen for billionaire rapper and businessman JAY-Z after the Indiana Pacers won game 3 of the NBA Finals, thwarting his $1 million wager that the Oklahoma Thunder would win it all in five games.
We previously reported that the Hard Knock Life rapper put down a $1 million wager that the Thunder, heavy favorites to win the NBA championship, would take the title in five games against the Indiana Pacers. After the Pacers stole the first game played on the Thunder’s home court, there was still a chance for the Brooklyn rapper to cash in and win a reported $3.3 million. But the Pacers weren’t trying to let JAY-Z cash in.
— Fanatics Sportsbook (@FanaticsBook) June 5, 2025
Even if the Thunder wins the NBA championship, it won’t be in five games. So sorry, Jigga Man.
The Pacers, the team with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, have been on a tear since entering the playoffs when they defeated the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. The team then faced a heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers team (64-18), with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the No. 1 seed. The Pacers weren’t affected by their underdog status. They easily beat the Cavaliers four games to one.
They came into the Eastern Conference Finals to face a New York Knicks team they had handily defeated last year, but they were playing better. It didn’t matter to the Pacers when they went to the very noisy Madison Square Garden and stole the first game, and never looked back to deny the Knicks a chance to get back to the NBA Finals for the first time in over 25 years.
And now, going up against the team with the best record in the NBA this year, the Thunder (68-14), the Pacers look primed to take it all after going up 2-1 to lead the series as the games resume in Indiana June 13.
The Schomburg’s Centennial Celebration Is Going To Be An Old School Block Party
The Schomburg will celebrate its 100th anniversary with an old-school New York block party will feature the best the diaspora has to offer.
On June 14, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will celebrate its centennial with a block party.
The Schomburg Centennial Festival is an all-day event starting at 11 a.m. at the Langston Hughes Auditorium in New York. Honoring the institute’s founder comes at an appropriate time, as June is Caribbean Heritage Month.
In a statement, Novella Ford, associate director at the Schomburg, spoke about the institution’s importance and celebration.
“For a century, the Schomburg Center has occupied an important role in the intellectual and creative life of Harlem,” said Ford. “The festival is a moment to celebrate our legacy while continuing to nurture Black creativity and center work that values Black history and culture. Being in community means tending to our liberation and our joy in the ‘public square,’ free for all to experience.”
The Schomburg’s Black Comic Book Festival will be held simultaneously. The inclusion of the festival in the celebration ensures Blerds are represented. Guests are invited to cosplay and take to the Octavia E. Butler stage for the Black Cosplay Showcase.
Free books – The Countee Cullen Mobile Library will hand out “Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library. It will also sign attendees up for free library cards.
Panels – Mahogany Browne, comedian Wyatt Cenac, and Damon Young will be among the panelists featured in “That’s How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black American Humor.” Also, Nigerian-Americans Glory Edim and OlaRonke Akinmowo will discuss how to expand the current literary marketplace.
Kids Clubhouse – The event includes the Woke Baby Festival and Jump Up Jamboree. Kids will experience hands-on workshops, book signings, and more.
Block Party – The festival will conclude with a “Stoop Session” featuring DJ D-Nice and Slick Rick.
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was an immigrant of Puerto Rican and German descent. The activist was a dedicated supporter of the Cuban and Puerto Rican liberation movements, who created the Las Dos Antillas political organization. Later in his life, he began searching for and collecting “physical proof of Black intellect, accomplishment, and historic importance. By the early 1920s, he was an active member of the Negro Society for Historical Research and the American Negro Academy,” as cited by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Schomburg made the curation his life’s work. In 1926, the New York Public Library acquired over 10,000 of his items, which led to the creation of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
The festival celebrates Schomburg’s contributions to preserving the history of the Black diaspora. Literature panels, music, art, and food will also be on-site, guaranteeing something for everyone.
The Schomburg Centennial will take place June 14 at the Langston Hughes Auditorium, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard | 135th Street. Be on time, as a parade featuring the Brooklyn Marching Band is kicking off the celebration.
Investors in the cryptocurrency company sued the former basketball player for his role in endorsing the platform
NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has agreed to settle a lawsuit against him for his involvement in the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency company FTX.
According to Fortune, the retired Los Angeles Lakers legend has settled the suit for $1.8 million for his role in promoting the failed company.
The company went bankrupt in 2022 after Founder Sam Bankman-Fried was accused of investing money in ventures without investors’ approval. For his role in the company losing billions of dollars, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March 2024.
Investors sued Shaq and other celebrity investors like former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, NBA superstar Stephen Curry, and tennis phenom Naomi Osaka, among others, who endorsed the platform.
After being sued, Shaq stated he was only a celebrity being used for an ad.
“I have nothing to hide. If I was heavily involved, I would be at the forefront saying, ‘Hey.’ But I was just a paid spokesperson,” Shaquille O’Neal said in December 2022.
The settlement took place in April but wasn’t publicized until the agreement was disclosed in a filing with the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, earlier this week. The settlement has to be approved by the court before it could be finalized. The agreement would allow Shaq to not be held liable for future claims and also includes a stipulation that the TNT analyst can’t seek reimbursement from the FTX estate.
After the courts approve the settlement, the payment will be made within 30 days.
The settlement only covers Shaq’s involvement as the other celebrities are not included in the agreement. No details have been released regarding any settlements, if any from the other principals named in the lawsuit.
Shaq has admitted to no wrongdoings pertaining to his role in being a paid spokesperson for FTX.
Victims Of Wrong House Raids Can Now Sue, Thanks To A Supreme Court Ruling
Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor suggested wrong house raids aren't the types of mistakes that are immune from accountability.
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a family from Atlanta can now sue law enforcement for “wrong-house raids” after an incident in their home in 2017, NPR reports.
It’s a case of “wrong-house raids” — defined as when local, state, or federal officers enter a private home to find a suspect in the wrong home — and is subject to litigation. Unless Congress sets out certain circumstances, the federal government is generally off limits to being sued. The Supreme Court’s job was to figure out if what happened to the Atlanta family fell under those circumstances.
Agents from an FBI SWAT team forcibly entered the wrong home, belonging to Trina Martin, her 7-year-old son Gabe, and her partner, Toi Cliatt, while looking for a neighbor accused of being involved in gang activity.
The family sued the FBI and agents involved in 2019, thanks to a 1974 amended statute of the 1946 Federal Tort Claims Act, but the case was dismissed. The high court questioned if victims were now permitted to sue — or if they could sue on sole grounds that the perpetrators of the raid were following government orders, in this case, orders from the FBI. Without the amendment in place, the act would permit lawsuits against the federal government for harm caused by its employees.
According to The Associated Press, agents quickly apologized for their mistake, with the team leader claiming his personal GPS device led the team to the wrong address. However, Martin and Cliatt were not buying it, saying the ordeal left lasting trauma in addition to a damaged home for them and their young son.
In the victim’s initial suit that lower courts tossed out, the government argued the FBI shouldn’t be liable for each wrong judgment call, as officers were told to go to the right home, not the home they raided in a stressful situation. The government sees it as the officers going after a “dangerous individual,” and making the government pay for a mistake undermines their ability to do their jobs in the future.
However, in the unanimous ruling, the high court felt it would be wrong to throw the case out based on the Supremacy Clause, which permits federal law to overstep state laws when the two are at odds. “Congress has entered the field and expressly bound the federal government to accept liability under state tort law on the same terms as a ‘private individual,’” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote.
Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor suggested wrong house raids aren’t the types of mistakes immune to accountability. And Martin couldn’t agree more. Once the news made it to her, she says it gave her hope. “Between laughing and crying, I can’t stop,” Martin said, saying she is ecstatic with the ruling.
“If the Supreme Court can say they’re wrong, it gives me all the hope in the world.”
Amazon’s Strict Return-To-Office Policy Is Drawing Severe Pushback From Disability Advocates
Amazon’s return-to-office (RTO) mandate for employees with disabilities is drawing some stiff complaints from disability advocacy groups and accusations of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fortune reports.
Two Amazon employees have filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the National Labor Relations Board, two federal agencies focusing on workplace conditions. The EEOC received a list from one employee containing the names of 18 employees who were “similarly situated” to enhance their experience and prompt federal regulators to initiate an investigation.
After President Donald Trump mandated that federal agency workers return to the office in early 2025, Amazon was one of several businesses that followed suit. In a letter addressed to the company’s CEO, Matt Garman, employees labeled the policy as unfair and “non-data-driven.” Disabled employees took it further by expressing their disdain with how the company is handling their accommodation requests, such as being exempt from returning to the office five days a week.
According to HR Brew, employees with disabilities who wish to continue working remotely are required to provide proof, including medical documentation, to an “accommodation consultant.”
Without it, they would be forced to work in the office for up to 30 days, during which the company would need to demonstrate a need for the requested accommodations. With AI on the rise, there is concern that the tool will utilize AI to analyze accommodation requests, read doctors’ notes, and make recommendations based on keywords.
Former EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum feels it’s almost a guarantee that the tool will be used, but also feels Amazon would have to prove that adding accommodations would substantially burden the company. “It’s impossible to imagine that companies will not be using AI for any number of needs, including this one,” Feldblum said.
Several employees believe the rule is merely a way for Amazon to indicate that they are not welcome. In a LinkedIn post, cybersecurity engineer and self-identified neurodivergent worker, Nathan Chung, shared similar thoughts.
“They might as well advertise that people with disabilities are not wanted,” Chung said, who has close to 19,000 followers.
Founder and CEO of Global Disability Inclusion, Meg O’Connell, believes Amazon’s move sets a precedent for prohibiting people with disabilities from finding employment. “The problem with eliminating all remote work is that you’re hindering people with disabilities from being gainfully employed, or a large population of them,” O’Connell said.
“People with disabilities have what they need in their homes. They don’t have to ask for accommodation [because] they’ve already built out their space.”
Amazon spokesperson Zoe Hoffmann claims that Amazon’s Disability and Leave Services team ensures employees have access to the necessary accommodations and adjustments to be effective and advance their careers. She labeled the process as “empathetic,” but O’Connell says, “We don’t really believe you.”
