Amazon has instructed nearly 350,000 corporate employees to relocate to key hub cities.
Employees must move to Seattle, Arlington (Virginia), or Washington, D.C., or resign without severance pay.
The company justifies this mandate as a strategic push for more in-person work. It believes physical proximity is crucial for boosting collaboration, innovation, and productivity.
Amazon views having employees work together in hubs as essential. It argues this is needed to maintain its competitive edge and operational efficiency.
This sweeping relocation order has caused significant concern across the tech industry. Critics fear it will lead to mass resignations and damage employee morale.
The policy is seen as disproportionately affecting employees with personal or financial limitations.
The lack of severance for those unable or unwilling to move has caused particular backlash.
Amazon's move aligns with stricter return-to-office policies from other tech giants like Google and Meta. However, its scale is unprecedented, impacting about one-third of its global corporate staff.
The requirement forces a major life decision on a large portion of its corporate workforce. Employees face choosing between relocating or leaving the company without financial support.