Remote Walmart employees across the United States are now questioning the company’s newly implemented in-person work policy. Some employees who have been ordered to relocate are even considering resigning.

In May, Walmart mandated that hundreds of remote workers relocate to its corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, or its other hubs in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Northern California. A recent Bloomberg report revealed that employees opposed the return-to-office mandate during a company-wide Zoom call, with some resigning.

During the call, one participant described the RTO policy as “a bunch of bullsh-t.” In contrast, others expressed concerns about the challenges of living in Arkansas, childcare arrangements, increased workload, and the potential impact on their partners’ careers due to the relocation.

A Walmart employee informed Bloomberg that he decided to resign from the company rather than relocate on such short notice. According to the report, employees unable to relocate must terminate their employment with the company between August 2024 and January 2025.

    • Beaver@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      Anyone with a brain avoids the Deep South when they can

    • Zipitydew@sh.itjust.works
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      3 months ago

      Sad thing is the Bentonville area is rather nice. Because the Walton kids have dumped a bunch of money into it. Whole state could be just as nice if Arkansas would tax those assholes effectively.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    Being forced to relocate like that should constitute a contract renegotiation and these folks should get severance and unemployment.

    • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
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      3 months ago

      They can deff get unemployment as this is a constructive dismissal but severance in most states is purely regulated by contract.

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      My job just moved to the headquarters, so I quit. The company did indeed offer $20,000 to move me and, if not, 2-months severance and benefits, with my PTO used first and paid in full. Also, the contract stated there would be no issue with me filing for unemployment after severance is over. That’s how it should be done.

      I can’t blame them in my case. Since a large chunk of my duties involved shipping and troubleshooting hardware, it makes sense to have someone available to come in once or twice a week.

      Anybody got any remote IT positions? I can send a resume. If you DM me, I’ll not likely see it. Reply here and I’ll get with you.

    • BCsven@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      Not sure of US law, but in Canada something like this would be considered Constructive Dismissal, so you resign and they legally owe you termination pay and severence pay based on position amd years served

  • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
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    3 months ago

    I have been seeing Walmart trying to recruit high end professionals to relocate to their HQ in Bentonville… why would anyone do such a thing?

    You can live in a major city where if you lose or don’t like your job, you get another one for more money. OR

    Live in a company town where you can get a good job from the company. Do these execs and clown HR really think anyone would go for this idiotic deal lol

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Ex took my kids to Arkansas, my mom lived there and I used to live next door in Tulsa. I have very little issue living here in the Deep South, but I would not move to Arkansas.

      Funny note: The 01/06 insurrectionist with his feet on Pelosi’s desk? That was mom’s neighbor. The mayor was on TV saying he didn’t want people thinking they were all racist assholes like Bigo. LOL NO! My mom was a hardcore racist and even she hated the guy.

  • webghost0101@sopuli.xyz
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    3 months ago

    “Some employees who have been ordered to relocate are even considering resigning.“

    Shows you what side the media is on.

    If my employer asked me to literally abandon the home and life i have build to move to some backwater where they cant find enough employees. I am responding with a wrongful termination lawsuit because a demand so outrageous can only be an attempt to bully me in resignation. I refuse to believe anyone considers such reasonable if at all a demand made with human dignity and respect, which it does not.

    I work to maintain my life, i am not living to maintain a business that would fire me on a whim if they so please. Like what the fuck are they thinking.

    • Nollij@sopuli.xyz
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      3 months ago

      Industry average these days is ~25-50% turnover when it’s just a return to office mandate. As in, no relocation, just adding a daily commute.

      Relocation has always been 99% turnover. Very few people are ever willing to spend not only their lives, but those of their family, just for a job.

      This isn’t really any different than Tesla or Disney moving offices that were in the news recently. It’s a mildly disguised layoff, and they will hire new (probably fewer) staff at the new office.

    • LifeOfChance@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      They cost to much. We saw it a year ago they’ll let these position become vacant then hire for much less. They knew by doing this it would happen.

  • RBG@discuss.tchncs.de
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    3 months ago

    Yeah well, didn’t it come out long time already that the company who does this just wants you to quit, so they don’t have to fire you. Another exploitation of workers.

    • scutiger@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      It’s called constructive dismissal. They’re not technically firing anyone, but they are trying to make the work conditions unfavorable so that people quit. Many places will allow you to get unemployment, and often also severance pay, if you can show that this is what’s happening.

    • bitchkat@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I never really shopped there. Its cheap and dirty. I always felt like I needed a shower afterwards.

    • scutiger@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Constructive dismissal often still allows collecting unemployment. Possibly even severance in some places.

  • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
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    3 months ago

    What’s the point of physically relocating REMOTE workers?

    You’ve got other companies with remote workers on a different continent, and Walmart can’t handle people a few cities or states over?