Gazi Jarin, a 24-year-old software engineer, recently left her remote tech job at Amazon after the company implemented a “return to hub” policy requiring her to relocate to a different city. Jarin, who had been working remotely from Toronto, was asked to move to either Vancouver or Seattle to be closer to her team.
Jarin, who graduated with a computer science degree in 2022, joined Amazon as a software engineer on the Route 53 team. She enjoyed the remote work arrangement and the work-life balance it provided. However, the introduction of the return-to-hub policy in late 2023 changed everything.
Initially, Amazon implemented a return-to-office policy, requiring employees to come into the office three times a week. Jarin complied but found it unfulfilling as her team was based in Vancouver, and all her meetings remained virtual.
The return-to-hub policy, introduced in December 2023, mandated that employees relocate to be in the same location as their team members. Jarin was given the option to move to Vancouver or Seattle. While the Seattle option offered a pay bump and visa assistance, Jarin was reluctant to uproot her life in Toronto.
Jarin started looking for other remote opportunities in Toronto and eventually accepted a software engineer role at Pinterest in May 2024. She left Amazon the same month.
Jarin believes that employees should have the autonomy to choose where they work from and that companies should not dictate their location. She feels that the work she did at Amazon did not necessitate her physical presence in an office or relocation.
