Amazon’s employee-retention policy faces criticism from employees

The Company offers a chance to appeal the decision before being fired, but employees have reportedly described the panel as a ‘kangaroo court’. 

Last year Amazon had designed a programme–Pivot— through which employees get a chance to appeal the decision and discuss options before being fired.

The other options were to give a chance to catch up with their goals, switch their department or simply leave the company with a severance package.

The whole purpose of the programme was to offer a fair and transparent HR appeals process. But now, it has backfired, as several employees claim that Pivot is not working as intended.

An employee has claimed that when concerns were raised regarding work, there were three options offered by the company— quit and ask for severance, keep the job and meet performance goals, or plead case in front of panellists.

The process may appear to be a fair review on the surface, but employees have reportedly described the panel as a ‘kangaroo court’. The employee was allowed to write a draft of appeal, which was presented to the panel. However, the employee claims that the ‘career ambassador’, who was ‘helping’, recommended cutting out important portions of the appeal. These career ambassadors prepare employees with regard to the panel.

The panellists attend remotely, and the lack of a personal touch and connection issues make the presentation almost farcical. The person also claimed that the option to keep the job was accompanied by unrealistic goals.

Other employees reportedly claimed that after the panel discussion, even if the goals were adjusted, there was tension with the bosses.