Amazon makes it difficult for disabled employees to work from home

Amazon is tightening its rules for disabled employees who want to work from home, as the company pushes for a full return to the office five days a week starting in January.Now, disabled employees face tougher steps to get approval for remote work. They will need to go through a detailed review process, including multiple managers signing off on their requests. In some cases, they might even have to come back to the office for a month to see if in-person accommodations work for them.
As per the Bloomberg report, the new policy has upset many workers who feel it adds unnecessary barriers, especially since some have been working from home successfully for years. Amazon says the changes are part of its broader goal to get people back to the office and strengthen company culture. CEO Andy Jassy believes working in person helps teams collaborate better and avoids the bureaucracy that’s grown during the pandemic.
“We understand that this is going to be a transition and we’re working with our employees to make it as easy as possible,” Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan said in a statement. “We continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant. When in-person accommodations are needed, we’ll provide them, and in some cases, offer an exception to working from the office.” She declined to say how many requests have been approved.
Here’s how it works: Disabled employees talk to “accommodation consultants” who review their medical information and past work setups. The consultants check if working from home has been effective and if the office can meet their needs. If they approve remote work, multiple managers must also sign off.
While Amazon says it’s committed to supporting its workers, critics feel the process is too complicated and could force some people to quit. The company hasn’t shared how many requests have been approved under the stricter rules.
Under US law, employers must offer “reasonable accommodations” to disabled employees, like reserved parking or special equipment. But remote work isn’t guaranteed, giving Amazon room to ask people to come back.
For now, many employees are waiting to see how these new rules play out. With January just around the corner, some worry the changes could make it harder to balance their health and their jobs.