SEATTLE — In an action recently lauded by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Amazon started enforcing a return-to-office policy in May.
But now, KING 5 is learning more details about what that policy entails: in the coming months, the Emerald City could soon see even more Amazon workers moving back because its remote workers across the company are being told they may have to relocate back to Seattle or other main offices.
“There’s more energy, collaboration, and connections happening since we’ve been working together at least three days per week, and we’ve heard this from lots of employees and the businesses that surround our offices,” said Brad Glasser, Amazon spokesperson. “We continue to look at the best ways to bring more teams together in the same locations, and we’ll communicate directly with employees as we make decisions that affect them.”
One current Amazon employee told KING 5 she faces a frustrating dilemma. She preferred not to share her identity over fears of burning a bridge with her employer.
"This is kind of bogus, like, why can't I just have what I had before?" she said. "I really do love my job. Like, I love Amazon and I love the role that I’m in.”
In her role, this woman remotely supports Amazon administrators who she said are based in various parts of the country. But now, she said qualifications for a remote exemption are a whole lot stricter, according to her manager.
"She was like, 'Hey, I just want to bring you up to speed about that remote work exemption," she said. "Like, your family's personal reasons isn't quote-unquote “enough” as a justification. So we need to have a plan.'"
Her circumstances have landed her in a difficult position given the new policy. She had started her job at Amazon during the height of COVID while living in Seattle. But her husband ended up getting his dream job in the Midwest, so they moved their family out of state.
"I told them that that could happen," she said. "And basically, they were like, 'That's fine.'"
Now, in a screenshot of an email from management that she provided KING 5, it shows Amazon leaders writing, "We expect these team members to eventually be working primarily from an office with the rest of their team."
But that is easier said than done, the employee told us.
“I'm not going to be able to come back to Seattle," she said.
So she is now left to question whether she will still have her job and position next year.
"How can I plan my life?” she said.
She is now entertaining the thought of applying elsewhere.
In the meantime, Amazon has not said how many people this requirement would impact, and questions linger.
"What is their definition of like, 'enough' to get that remote exemption now?” she said.
She said she does not yet know what would happen if they choose not to relocate.
Amazon's spokesperson told KING 5 that employees who are asked to relocate will be eligible for relocation benefits. He added that an exemption request process is in place, and they will consider those requests on a case-by-case basis.
As Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy said in this Feb. 17 message to employees, “Of course, as there were before the pandemic, there will still be certain roles (e.g. some of our salespeople, customer support, etc.) and exceptions to these expectations, but that will be a small minority."
Albert Squiers, a Seattle-based tech recruiter with Fuel Talent, said stories like these are indicators that the pendulum is swinging back to the company side after being candidate-driven in the recent past.
"While strong engineers can still land fully-remote roles, many of the top-paying companies are requiring a return to office, which I believe will have a trickle-down effect to other companies in the coming months," Squiers said.
The relocation requirements come after months of tension between Amazon and some of its employees, after thousands of layoffs this winter and a staged walk-out this spring.