Amazon gives employees 30 days 'deadline' to …. or resign in 60 days

Amazon is ordering thousands of corporate employees to relocate to major city hubs including

Seattle

, Arlington, and Washington DC, creating upheaval for workers already facing job insecurity and AI-driven workforce reductions.The relocation mandate affects employees across multiple teams, with some required to move across the country to be closer to their managers. Workers are being informed through one-on-one meetings and town halls rather than company-wide announcements, according to sources familiar with the situation."We hear from the majority of our teammates that they love the energy from being located together, and whenever someone chooses to or is asked to relocate, we work with them to offer support based on their individual circumstances," an Amazon spokesperson said.

Employees who chose not to relocate and resign will not receive any severances

Employees report receiving just 30 days to decide whether to relocate, followed by 60 days to either resign or begin the relocation process. Those who choose to resign rather than move will not receive severance packages, adding financial pressure to an already difficult decision.Mid-career professionals with school-age children and established partners are particularly reluctant to uproot their lives, especially given Amazon's ongoing cost-cutting measures and recent warning about AI-related job losses."For more than a year now, some teams have been working to bring their teammates closer together to help them be as effective as possible, but there isn't a one-size-fits all approach and there hasn't been a change in our approach as a company," the spokesperson added.

Amazon keeps going harder on its in-office requirement

The move represents an escalation from Amazon's earlier return-to-office mandate, which required five days of in-person work but allowed flexibility in office location. The company previously maintained satellite offices in major metropolitan areas including

New York

, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Austin."For more than a year now, some teams have been working to bring their teammates closer together to help them be as effective as possible, but there isn't a one-size-fits all approach and there hasn't been a change in our approach as a company," the spokesperson noted.

CEO Andy Jassy warns employees of upcoming layoffs

The timing coincides with Jassy's recent announcement that artificial intelligence will reduce Amazon's corporate workforce in coming years. The CEO expects the company will "need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs."Jassy has urged employees to adapt to the changing landscape, advising them to "be curious about AI, educate yourself, attend workshops and take trainings, use and experiment with AI whenever you can."The relocation mandate could prompt voluntary departures, providing Amazon with a cost-effective way to reduce headcount without executing layoffs and paying severance packages. Amazon has already eliminated 27,000 positions since 2022 through multiple rounds of corporate job cuts.