Amazon empowers managers to sack staffers not attending office thrice a week

In its latest guidelines, the company has asked the managers to first hold a private conversation with the employees who don’t follow the policy, reported Business Insider.

In case the employee remains defiant and fails to attend the office three times a week, managers can take disciplinary action including termination of services, the report said.

The company also asked the managers to explain to their employees that continued absence from work without legitimate reason may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of contract.

Amazon is intending to reinforce the return to office three-days-a-week part of the job requirement.

The return-to-office-policy by Amazon did not go well with its employees as many of them claimed that they were hired as fully remote employees during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Frustrated with the new rule, employees argued that it was a shift in policy, which they were not aware of. Many had quit their jobs too due to the new rule.

In February, the company had asked the corporate employees to work in office at least three times a week starting from May. In July, the remote employees were asked to relocate near office ‘hubs’ along with their team members.

Also, those refusing to relocate or find another team accommodating their needs were told to resign and take ‘voluntary resignation’ package. Amazon has been monitoring the individual attendance records as well.

In August, Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy had told employees that it was not going to work out for those pushing back against the office-attendance mandate.

An Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider that the company was witnessing “more energy, connection, and collaboration” with majority of its employees in the office more frequently.