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Amazon Layoffs in Downtown Seattle: Impact on the Community

Jon Scholes, the President and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), has previously commended Amazon for its decision to require employees to return to the office five days a week. He emphasized that the presence of thousands of tech workers in the city is crucial for the downtown Seattle area to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Following Amazon’s recent layoffs, Scholes shared his reaction in a statement to GeekWire:

“As the largest employer in downtown Seattle, a significant workforce reduction like this has far-reaching implications for the community. It impacts individual employees, their families, and the small businesses that rely on the weekday foot traffic generated by Amazon employees. Moreover, these job losses also affect our tax base, which supports essential city services. With employers having the flexibility to choose where they establish their workforce, it is imperative that we make downtown Seattle an attractive destination for investment and growth. We need to maintain vibrancy and provide a stable regulatory environment in a competitive landscape, as other cities are eager to welcome the jobs currently located in downtown.”