Internal Amazon document spells out its new RTO rule forcing employees to work from an office 5 days a week

Some employees disagreed with that premise, while others criticized the move on other grounds.

The internal “Frequently Asked Questions” document shared with employees describes how the new RTO policy will work. Business Insider obtained a copy. Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

At the very bottom of the 22-question document, Amazon withdrew another remote-work benefit. It has ended a policy that gave employees the option to work up to four weeks per year fully remote.

Here are all the details from the FAQ:

Q1. How often are corporate employees expected to be in the office?

We’re going to return to being in the office the way we were prior to the pandemic. When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant. This means the general expectation is that if you are working during the week, you are doing so from the office. We recognize there will occasionally be days when someone might need the flexibility to work from home for the day (e.g., you or your child are sick, you have some sort of house emergency, or you need a day or two to finish coding in a more isolated environment), and for those occasions, employees should proactively communicate with their manager, just as they would have prior to the pandemic.

Q2. I joined Amazon during the pandemic. What does “working like we did prior to the pandemic” mean?

Prior to the pandemic, we all worked together in the office. Employees and managers proactively communicated with one another about their whereabouts, and when an employee needed flexibility, they discussed it with their manager and worked it out. There was flexibility when you needed it, but a general expectation and practice of being in the office each day.

Q3. When will we begin working this way?

Some teams are already working this way, and we encourage Amazonians to spend more time in person together as soon as they can. We also recognize it might take some time for people to adjust, so we expect teams to begin fully working this way by January 2, 2025

Q4. With this update, will I have an assigned workspace/desk in the office?

For locations organized with an assigned workspace before the pandemic, including U.S. headquarters locations (Puget Sound and Arlington), assigned desk arrangements will be available. For locations that had agile desk arrangements before the pandemic, including much of Europe, we will continue to operate that way.

Q5. How long will it take to have an assigned workspace/desk if I am in a location that had one before the pandemic?

For the vast majority of employees, assigned workspaces will be available by January 2, 2025. We will post an update from Global Real Estate and Facilities (GREF) in the next few weeks with more specifics on timing for our various office locations. If your assigned workspace isn’t ready by January 2, we still expect everyone to begin fully working from the office by that date.

Q6. Why will we still have agile seating in some locations?

Some teams prefer agile seating because it provides a flexible and collaborative work environment that is designed around the concept of team neighborhoods that balance individual workspace with team collaboration. These agile workplaces have unassigned seating that is allocated to specific teams, allowing employees to move freely within their neighborhood as they shift between different work activities. Many teams prefer this agile arrangement with neighborhoods and have chosen to work this way, both before the pandemic and since.

Q7. Will we continue to have badging data?

Yes, but our hope is that over time this will no longer be necessary. Continuing to report badge data for now will help us track our progress and support conversations between employees and their managers as we go through this transition.

Q8. How will badge reporting work?

In general, badge reports provide visibility of the days you badged into an Amazon building. This includes nearly all corporate buildings, data centers, fulfillment centers, and delivery stations. The badge reporting system will also reflect any PTO which you’ve recorded, including recorded sick days and leaves of absence.

Q9. Does the badge report account for days when I’m traveling for work?

It does not reflect when you’re traveling for business (e.g., the days you don’t badge into an Amazon building), or when you’re at an external conference or customer site. For these occasions, you should just let your manager know your whereabouts.

Q10. If there’s a day when I will not be working in the office, that’s not covered by PTO, what do I need to do?

We recognize there will occasionally be days when someone might need the flexibility to work from home (e.g., you or your child are sick, you have some sort of house emergency, or you need a day or two to finish coding in a more isolated environment), and for those occasions, employees should simply discuss with their manager and let them know why they need to work from home that day.

Q11. What if I’m not feeling well, am I still expected to work from the office?

If you’re sick, you should stay home until you’re better. Sick leave and other absences should be reported through your normal reporting process. If you’re starting to feel well enough to work but concerned about getting your teammates sick, talk to your manager about working from home for the day.

Q12. What if I’m trying to do all the right things, but there are a few weeks that I’m just not able to work from the office each day?

We appreciate that the majority of employees are trying to do the right thing — following the intent of these expectations and regularly communicating with their manager about any extenuating circumstances. As we always do, we’ll have direct conversations with employees who are not meeting expectations to ensure they have what they need and understand the importance of being in the office.

Q13. I’m the only or one of just a few people from my team in the office I’m assigned to does this update apply to me?

Yes. We believe that employees are much more likely to understand our unique culture and become part of it if they’re surrounded by other Amazonians in person, even if not on their immediate working team. We also encourage managers to work towards having as many of their team members together In one physical location as possible.

Q14. If I currently have an approved exception (e.g., Field by Design or Virtual) does this update change where I work?

No, this update does not impact employees who are in roles that are Field by Design, Virtual, or have a Remote Work Exception or Military Spouse Remote Work Exception.

Q15. How do I request an exception to work remotely?

Information on how to apply for a Remote Work Exception is available on A to Z, and s-team member approval is required for remote work status.

Q16. What commuting benefits does Amazon offer?

Amazon provides a variety of commuter benefits and services to give employees flexibility for their commute to the office. Available benefits and subsidies vary by site, even within the same country.
U.S.-based employees can set up and log into their MyCommute account to find out more about their available commuter benefits and services. Employees in Americas-based sites outside of the U.S., EMEA, and APAC can visit the Global Benefit’s page to view commuter benefits for your location.

Q17. What are my options for commuting to the office?

We will continue to support diverse ways of commuting to the office, including ways that minimize reliance on single-occupancy vehicles in line with our sustainability goals. Commute options vary by location-visit GREF commute to find specific options available for your location. Public transit will continue to be the best option for many and we encourage this as a first option. Where we currently have shuttle services and/or ride-sharing, we are increasing frequency of existing routes and increasing capacity with more routes. We will also be adding ride sharing in some new locations where other options are not meeting demand. Bicycle and similar e-powered modes continue to be an option. Where we have parking facilities, employees may opt to carpool or drive on their own.

Q18. What is GREF doing to increase meeting room availability?

For our existing locations, GREF is working with IT Services to improve our booking technology and utilization habits which will increase capacity of existing meeting rooms by 75,000 hours/month globally, focusing on locations where meeting rooms are currently exceeding 50% average daily utilization. This includes removal of false bookings, a required check-in and check-out tool, and communications on appropriate meeting room booking to ensure efficient use of rooms given the meeting size. We will install additional phone booths where they are now inadequate and where space allows starting in September, continuing to ramp through next year for an estimated increase of approximately 3,500 globally. Ongoing, new workplaces will have an increased number of more diverse meeting rooms to meet demand.

Q19. If I have a disability that requires an accommodation related to being in the office every day, how can I get support?

We will continue to work with employees with disabilities to identify the workplace accommodations/adjustments they need. You can use self-service features 24/7 to submit a request to Disability & Leave Services if you have a medical condition or disability is impacting your ability to perform the functions of your role. Access My HR to apply for a medical accommodation. You can also start a live chat or phone call via My HR to learn more about what options are available to you.

Q20. If I’m a nursing parent, what accommodations are available in the office?

Amazon provides accommodation for employees who wish to express and store breast milk. Visit the Global Lactation Accommodation page on Inside Amazon for policy details and reach out to My_HR if you have any questions.

Q21. What benefits or resources do we have to support child, pet, and elder care?

Where applicable, Amazon provides access to elder care options and pet sitters, as well as free memberships to online referral services where you can find trusted caregivers. Learn more by visiting the Benefits portal.

Q22. With this update, will we continue to have the option to work four weeks out of the year from anywhere?

No. Moving forward, when an employee needs the flexibility to work from a location outside of their assigned office for an extended period of time, they should talk with their manager. If the request is for more than three weeks, the employee and their manager should discuss the possibility of a short-term work arrangement. If your manager is aligned, you can request a short-term work arrangement through My HR which may require additional approvals.

Are you a tech-industry employee or someone else with insight to share?

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