Amazon has issued a sweeping directive to thousands of its corporate employees, requiring them to relocate to designated city hubs within 30 days or face a 60-day window to resign—without severance.
The mandate has not been publicly announced through company-wide communication.
Instead, it’s being delivered via one-on-one meetings and internal town halls, causing widespread anxiety among teams already facing job insecurity and AI-driven restructuring.
The Directive for Amazon Employees: Relocate or Resign
The relocation policy impacts employees across several departments within Amazon.
It requires them to move to major hubs like Seattle, Arlington (Virginia), and Washington D.C.
Employees are being told they must decide within 30 days whether they will relocate. If they choose not to, they are given 60 days to either resign or begin the relocation process.
Those who opt to resign will not receive severance packages, intensifying the pressure on affected workers.
The policy marks a significant escalation from Amazon’s earlier return-to-office mandate, which required five days of in-person work but allowed flexibility in office location.
Now, proximity to one’s manager and team has become a non-negotiable requirement.
Employee Reactions: Disruption and Discontent
The suddenness of the mandate has sparked turmoil among mid-career professionals, particularly those with school-aged children or partners with established careers.
Amazon hired many employees into fully remote roles during the pandemic.
The new requirement now forces them to uproot their lives—often relocating across the country.
Internal Slack channels and employee forums have been abuzz with concerns about the lack of transparency, the absence of severance, and the short decision window.
Some employees have described the move as a “voluntary layoff in disguise.” They believe it allows Amazon to reduce headcount without formally announcing layoffs.
Amazon’s Justification: Team Cohesion and Effectiveness
An Amazon spokesperson defended the policy, stating, “We hear from the majority of our teammates that they love the energy from being located together… we work with them to offer support based on their individual circumstances.”
The company emphasized that the move is part of a long-term effort to bring teams closer together.
It aims to improve collaboration and productivity through greater in-person interaction.
However, the spokesperson also noted that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, suggesting some flexibility in implementation.
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