Amazon worker loses Rs 1.7 cr worth stock after refusing to return to office

SAN FRANCISCO: An Amazon employee, who quit the company after being asked to return to office in the US, has lost more than Rs 1.7 crore ($200,000) in company stocks but he apparently has no regret about losing such a large sum of money.

The former Amazon software-development manager, who worked with the company for nearly four years, quit after being given a return-to-office order, reports ‘Business Insider’.

“If it wasn't for their crackdown on their return-to-office policy, I would still be there with bells on and a smile on my face,” he said.

Instead, he started his new job, “taking a $203,000 pay cut by forfeiting unvested stocks that I'd earned while working at Amazon”.

“Even that huge cut was worth it, rather than being forced to move across the country and abandon my dream life in order to keep my job,” said the employee, who did not wish to be named.

A company spokesperson said that Amazon “could not verify the employee account”.

“We've repeatedly made our position clear: In February, we shared with employees that we'd be asking them to start coming into the office three or more days per week beginning in May because we believe it would yield the best long-term results for our customers, business, and culture,” said the company spokesperson.

“As part of this process, we've asked a relatively small percentage of our team to relocate to be in the same location as their teams. As is the case with any of our policies, we expect our team to follow them and will take appropriate action if someone chooses not to do that,” the spokesperson added.