Does Amazon Offer Relocation Assistance? (Full Guide)

Do you know if Amazon offers relocation assistance or what is Amazon’s relocation package? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Amazon is growing in popularity as a great place to work and with locations all across the country, there are many opportunities. However, if you want to move or Amazon asks you to move, will they pay for the relocation?

Yes, Amazon does offer relocation assistance for its employees who move to a different state or even another country. In general, Amazon will pay between $20,000 and $40,000 to help cover the cost of moving.

In this article, we will cover how much Amazon’s relocation assistance can be, how long you have to be an employee to be relocated, and if Amazon will make you relocate.

Additionally, we will review if you have to pay back Amazon’s relocation package, what other perks you’ll receive as an employee, and if Amazon pays interns to relocate.

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Table of Contents

How Much Is Amazon Relocation Assistance?

Amazon offers a generous amount of money for relocation assistance that usually totals around $20,000. If you are making a bigger move, for example from the West Coast to the East Coast or to another country, they may offer you more money, but it usually will not exceed $40,000.

The actual amount of your relocation assistance depends on your projected moving expenditures.

Oftentimes, Amazon will not only help provide financial assistance but also help with finding a new place to live.

Amazon will work with realtors to help you find a place to rent or buy in your new location. Even though these benefits seem amazing, Amazon may not always come up with the most ideal housing, so take it with a grain of salt.

There are two different ways you can receive your Amazon relocation assistance. One way is to take a single lump sum cash payment that you can apply toward any moving expenses and handle all of the moving and living arrangements yourself.

The second option is to accept the relocation package which often includes assistance with finding a rental home, moving services, travel expenses, and car rentals where applicable.

This package usually includes a cash sum as well although not as large as the lump sum option.

How Long Do You Have to Work at Amazon to Relocate?

In order to request a transfer to a different Amazon location, you need to have worked with the company for at least two to three months.

This is usually the trial probationary period for any new employee to start receiving benefits from a company including insurance, paid time off, and relocation assistance.

Once you have reached your minimum time period of working for Amazon, you have to submit a formal transfer request to human resources.

Just because you submit a request, however, does not mean you will be granted approval. If the facility you are working at needs people in your position, they may not allow the transfer to go through.

Another thing to think about when considering relocation is the potential for change in pay. Even if you are making a lateral move within the company, your pay may increase or decrease depending on the part of the country (or different country) to which you are moving.

Cost of living factors into the salaries that Amazon pays its employees. So, if you are moving to an area with a lower cost of living, you may see a decrease in pay.

This can also affect your relocation assistance since that is based on factors such as cost of living and project moving costs.

Will Amazon Make You Relocate?

Amazon cannot make you relocate but if there is another branch that is in need of your skills, they may offer you a bonus and attractive relocation package to work in a different facility.

Most of the time, Amazon wants you to work for at least three to six months at one location before considering a transfer.

However, they will allow transfers after just one to two months. The rate of accepted transfers depends on the needs of the facilities. If the facility you are working in needs workers, they will not offer you relocation and may deny one if you initiate a request.

If there are facilities that are in desperate need of workers, however, not only will they ask you to relocate but they may sweeten the deal substantially.

Before accepting any relocation offers, however, you should make sure that it is the right decision for you and your family and that the pay rate and cost of living in the proposed area are acceptable.

Do You Have to Pay Back Amazon’s Relocation Package?

You don’t have to reimburse Amazon for relocation assistance unless you break the contract you sign with them.

You will have to sign an agreement before accepting a relocation package that typically states that you will continue working for Amazon for at least one or two years after your relocation.

If you decide to leave the company for any reason, you will have to pay back the relocation expenses that Amazon offered when you moved. There are options to negotiate for a smaller payoff, so it is worth it to talk to human resources or the company lawyer to see what kind of deal you can work out.

Alternatively, if you refuse to pay back relocation expenses, Amazon could sue you or report you to collections.

Neither option bodes well for you, so it is worth it to pay back the expenses. In fact, the best course of action is to weigh all of your options and really consider if taking the relocation package in the first place is worth it.

Some former employees have reported Amazon participating in some sketchy practices such as firing employees and or letting them go just before the minimum required employment time agreed upon in the contract.

Amazon still expected these former employees to pay back their moving expenses. Just use common sense before you sign any contract, so you understand what you’re getting yourself into.

What Other Perks Do Amazon Employees Receive?

In addition to relocation assistance, Amazon employees also receive the benefits of health insurance that includes medical, vision, dental, and discounts on prescription drugs. Employees are also offered health savings accounts for health expenses that are not covered by insurance.

Amazon is supportive of employees who value the opportunity to grow their families by offering up to twenty weeks of parental leave for both mothers and fathers as well as adoption assistance for those pursuing adoption.

Amazon has financial counseling services for its employees and a 401k retirement savings plan.

For employees who want to maximize their wages, Amazon gives plenty of opportunities for overtime as well as increased pay for holiday work.

Additionally, employees of Amazon can get paid time off for vacation, personal, or sick days. If you have an elderly family member who needs care or assistance, Amazon will help you find what you need.

Amazon also offers assistance to parents of children with developmental disabilities.

Overall, Amazon has a lot to offer its employees not just the paid opportunity to move to a new location.

Will Amazon Pay for Interns to Relocate?

Amazon employees aren’t the only ones who receive compensation for relocation expenses. Interns from around the world who are working at Amazon during the summers in between school semesters have the opportunity to benefit from Amazon’s relocation assistance.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon has continued to support thousands of interns, adapting the way they interact with the company in order to preserve the health of safety of its interns and employees.

While some choose to participate in their internships virtually, others choose a hybrid method of working part time in a physical office location.

Amazon allows interns to work in the office of their choice, and should the intern need to move, Amazon will pay for moving expenses.

This is a great opportunity for someone just starting out; however, just like with an Amazon employee, interns should carefully read the terms and conditions of signing a contract with moving expenses.

There may be certain conditions that the intern must hold up in order to accept the relocation assistance without the expectation of paying it back to Amazon.

If you don’t understand the complete set of consequences when you sign the terms and conditions, you may be in for a rude awakening.

Conclusion

Amazon does offer its employees a generous relocation package usually around $20,000 but possibly up to $40,000 depending on the nature of the moving expenses.

Amazon supports employee transfers across state lines or even international borders. You can apply for a transfer after one or two months of working at Amazon, but it is within their power to deny your request.

While Amazon’s relocation package may seem generous, if you do not abide by the terms and conditions of the contract, you may be responsible for paying the relocation expenses back in full. It’s best to do your homework before accepting an Amazon relocation package – it can be a huge help or a huge hassle.

Reference

https://www.teamblind.com/post/Amazon-relocation-repayment-hhDRotMh