AMAZON has announced plans to shut three UK warehouses, putting more than 1,000 jobs at risk.
It is understood up to 1,200 jobs will be impacted.
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The group, which employs around 1.5 million people globally, warned in November that its workers could be laid off.
Following a review of its business, it said it had found roles that needed to be axed.
Sites in Hemel Hempstead, Doncaster and Gourock, in the west of Scotland, have been proposed for closure.
A spokesman for Amazon said: “We’re always evaluating our network to make sure it fits our business needs and to improve the experience for our employees and customers.
Amazon added that all employees affected by the closures will be “offered the opportunity to transfer to other facilities”.
Amazon added that it plans to create 2,500 new jobs over the next three years and will open two new fulfilment centres.
These will be in Peddimore, West Midlands, and Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.
It comes after Amazon announced its biggest ever layoff programme, with “just over 18,000” jobs to be eliminated globally.
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Amazon said those across its stores, such as Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go, would be the most impacted.
Its human resources division, PXT solutions team and devices and books businesses will also face cuts.
Chief executive Andy Jassy said in a note to employees, which was made public, that the changes would hep the business to pursue long-term opportunities.
He blamed the move on an “uncertain economy”, adding “we’ve hired rapidly over the last several years”.
It comes after Royal Mail announced it is to cut as many as 6,000 jobs by the end of August this year.
And supermarket giant Tesco cut more than 300 jobs as part of a shake-up.
Your rights in redundancy
Companies can choose to cut their workforce and employees should understand their rights.
You are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, but only if you have worked at your job for two years or more.
The statutory rate is based on your age, weekly pay and number of years in the job.
You will get:
- Half a week’s pay for each full year you worked aged under 22
- One week’s pay for each full year you worked aged 22 or older, but under 41
- One and half week’s pay for each full year you worked while aged 41 or older.
But it’s capped at 20 years and the max redundancy pay you can get is currently £16,320.
Some companies may offer to pay more than the statutory amount. This will usually be in your contract.
Plus, you are still entitled to any pay you are owed for untaken holiday days at the end of your notice period.
The government has a calculator on its website to help you work out how much you are owed.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
