Amazon's Reported Ultimatum: Relocate Or Resign — Inside Scoop Of The Controversial 'Return-To-Hub' Policy

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) recently implemented a “return-to-hub” policy, placing its employees in a tough position with potentially significant career implications.

What Happened: Amazon has enforced a contentious “return-to-hub” policy, eliciting strong employee reactions. The policy requires employees to relocate near their teams’ designated “hub” offices in cities such as Seattle, New York, Houston, and Austin, Texas. 

Those who refuse to comply will have two options: find a new job internally or leave the company through a “voluntary resignation,” according to internal emails and Slack messages obtained by Business Insider.

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Employees who decline to join a hub are given a 60-day window to search for a new team that allows them to stay in their current city. If unsuccessful, they face the prospect of a “voluntary resignation.” 

Some relocation benefits will be available, and exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, but the policy change has already sparked internal resistance and petitions for its reversal.

Amazon’s spokesperson, Brad Glasser, stated that the company had observed increased energy, collaboration, and connections among employees since the return to in-person work. 

However, many people on Slack argue that the policy lacks a human-centric approach and undermines the company’s commitment to being “Earth’s best employer,” the report noted. 

Why It’s Important: Last month, following Meta Platforms Inc.’s (NASDAQ:META) example, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) reportedly issued a notice urging employees to resume office, with remote work requests being considered only in exceptional cases going forward. 

The Facebook-parent earlier made an abrupt change to its remote-work policy, mandating three days a week of in-office presence from September. 

Last year, Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, implemented a ban on remote work at the company, emphasizing the need for “intense work” to be conducted in the office.

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