Several Amazon workers quit than relocate to main work hubs: Report

SAN FRANCISCO: As Amazon asks employees to return to office along with a new relocation requirement, several workers have reportedly chosen to quit rather than relocate to various main work hubs.

As per the e-commerce giant's guidelines, remote workers are expected to join a main Amazon hub by the first half of 2024, reports CNBC.

"Those who are unwilling or unable to comply are being forced to find work elsewhere, and some are choosing to quit," the report mentioned.

A company spokesperson confirmed the relocation policy, saying it affects a small percentage of the company's workforce.

"It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, so we decided that the best thing to do was to communicate directly with teams and individuals who are affected to ensure they’re getting accurate information that’s relevant to them," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"If an individual feels like they don't have the information they need, we encourage them to talk with their HR business partner or their manager," the spokesperson added.

For employees affected by the relocation policy, Amazon is asking that they move to a designated hub, which could be Seattle, Arlington, New York, Chicago, San Francisco or another main office.

"Some employees see it as a stark reversal from the company's approach during the pandemic," the report noted.

In some cases, staffers are being asked to move out of state, which would require them to break their housing lease, or transition their children to new schools, the report said.

On May 31, hundreds of Amazon employees staged a walkout at the company’s headquarters in Seattle over the company’s return-to-work policy and its lack of progress on climate change initiatives.

According to GeekWire, the walkout by corporate and tech employees at Amazon HQ late on Wednesday may have looked like several thousand participants.

Amazon mandated its return-to-office policy from May 1, with employees required to be back in offices at least three days per week. The e-commerce giant has also laid off 27,000 employees in two job cut announcements.

However, thousands of corporate and tech employees weren’t thrilled to return to work.

The e-commerce giant employs more than 65,000 corporate workers in the Seattle region.