Amazon Faces Backlash from Employees Over Office Attendance Policy
Amazon has once again found itself at the center of controversy among its corporate employees. The company recently sent an email to certain workers, stating that they are not meeting the expectation of working in an assigned office at least three days per week.
The email, which was circulated on the anonymous corporate message board Blind, warned employees who allegedly failed to comply with the office attendance mandate that took effect in May. “We are reaching out as you are not currently meeting our expectation of joining your colleagues in the office at least three days a week, even though your assigned building is ready,” the message read.
This email has reignited tensions within the e-commerce giant, with some employees claiming that they received the message by mistake. In May, Amazon employees staged a walkout to protest the return-to-office push, further highlighting the discontent among workers.
In response to the email, one employee questioned whether it was intended to scare people, while another described it as “peak absurdity.” Many workers argued that the warnings were sent in error to those who were actually complying with the attendance policy. Some even speculated about potential layoffs or stricter attendance requirements.
Concerns were raised about whether the attendance warnings resulted from a system glitch. In addressing these concerns, Amazon clarified that the email was sent to employees who had failed to badge into their assigned office for fewer than three days per week over five or more of the previous eight weeks, or who fell short of the three-day-a-week requirement for three or more of the last four weeks despite their building being ready. The company also acknowledged that some warnings may have been sent out by mistake.
While Amazon continues its strict return-to-office push, managers have reportedly informed certain employees that they must either relocate to a central “hub” or leave the company. Affected workers have until September 15 to make a decision regarding this policy.
It is worth noting that Amazon has already laid off approximately 27,000 employees since last fall, including a recent wave of 9,000 cuts announced in March.
The attendance warnings represent just one aspect of Amazon’s stringent return-to-office strategy. The company’s actions have sparked concerns and discontent among its workforce, highlighting the ongoing challenges of transitioning from remote work to in-person office attendance.
Read: Millions of remote workers are Zooming all wrong
Source: [MarketWatch](https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/AMZN?mod=MW_story_quote)