Laura Danbom, a Seattle-based worker who is still employed by Amazon, said Wednesday that the manager raped her following a cocktail reception hosted by Amazon on a 2023 business trip to New York. She said she reported the alleged assault to the police, colleagues, and Amazon’s Human Resources Department in the aftermath.

The lawsuit accuses Amazon of creating a hostile work environment by requiring Danbom to continue working with the manager. It also claims Amazon violated Washington’s Silenced No More Act, which prevents employers from blocking employees from speaking about their sexual assaults. Danbom said Human Resources leaders told her not to discuss the incident with other employees.

“ I was so heartbroken that my company of seven years, at the time, wouldn't protect me and actually wanted to cause more harm, it felt like, to have to work with him and interact with him and not move him,” she said in an interview with KUOW. “It just shattered me.”

According to Danbom, Amazon leadership investigated her allegations and said they did not find sufficient evidence to prove them. She said the colleagues she told about the incident were not interviewed.

Her attorney, Jay Free, said he spoke with the New York Police Department and learned Amazon had not requested the police report associated with Danbom’s case. It included DNA evidence from a condom that Danbom provided the police, though a sample from the accused was never collected for comparison, according to the lawsuit.

Amazon did not respond to detailed questions about the allegations in the complaint. Instead, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel provided the following written statement:

"We take any allegation of this nature extremely seriously, and we have zero tolerance for workplace sexual misconduct or violence of any kind. We thoroughly investigate each report we receive and take appropriate action, up to and including termination, against those who are found to have violated our policies. We have robust policies and trained investigators in place to ensure each concern is heard and addressed with the proper care. While we don't have more to share about the specifics of this pending litigation at this time, we continue to follow our rigorous processes and to hold all employees to the same high standards."

Following the investigation, Danbom said she was asked to move into a new role that would require more contact with the senior manager. She said she transferred to another department at the company to avoid him, walking away from a promotion in the process.

“ This shouldn't happen to anybody,” she said. “You shouldn't be subjected to working with your rapist. I just know they can do better. They have the resources, and I encourage women to come forward, feel safe in doing so at Amazon and that these issues come to light."