Amazon to close Shakopee facility, nearly 700 employees impacted
Photo illustration: Amazon gift card / MGN
Amazon is planning to close one of its facilities in Shakopee this spring, which will affect nearly 700 employees.
A Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) notice on Monday said that 680 employees would be impacted by the closure of the Amazon sorting center just off 11th Avenue East in Shakopee.
According to a WARN letter, the full closure and layoffs are expected to happen on March 31, 2023. It goes on to say employees who accept opportunities at other Amazon locations before March 31 won’t be separated. A spokesperson for the company said every employee will be offered an opportunity to transfer to another facility.
“We’re always evaluating our network to make sure it fits our business needs and to improve the experience for our employees, customers, partners, and drivers,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. “As part of that effort, we may close older sites, enhance existing facilities, or open new sites, and we weigh a variety of factors when deciding where to develop future sites or maintain a presence. In this case, all employees at our facility in Shakopee are being offered opportunities to transfer to other facilities in and around the Twin Cities, or support if they choose not to stay with Amazon.”
The company added that its lease at the Shakopee facility is expiring but stressed that customers won’t be impacted by the closure.
The letter also says all affected employees who are separated from the company due to the layoffs will be paid all wages and other benefits they are entitled to as long as they don’t resign from Amazon before their layoff begins.
Amazon has 10 different operation sites in the Twin Cities, including a fulfillment center less than 3 miles from its sorting center in Shakopee.
A copy of the WARN letter can be found below.