- Amazon announces 16,000 additional job cuts after 14,000 in October
- It’s all part of a restructuring plan to remove unnecessary layers
- The company continues to hire elsewhere and affected workers can reapply
Amazon is the latest company to announce major workforce reductions after similar news from Pinterest yesterday, with 16,000 jobs at risk worldwide as part of ongoing restructuring efforts.
This is in addition to the 14,000 jobs lost in October, bringing the total to 30,000 positions in less than six months.
Beth Galetti, senior vice president of human experience and technology, shared the news with employees via email yesterday before posting the copy online, citing “reducing layers, increasing ownership and removing bureaucracy” as key factors.
Amazon will cut 16,000 jobs
Amazon is framing this as more of an adjustment than a complete reduction in workforce, suggesting that affected workers will be able to reapply for other jobs within the organization. “We will also continue to recruit and invest in strategic areas and functions that are critical to our future,” she added.
Galetti also raised concerns that the company has entered a “new rhythm” of frequent layoffs. “As we always have, each team will continue to evaluate ownership, speed, and ability to invent for customers, and make adjustments as necessary,” she wrote.
Although the precise implications vary by country, Galetti said U.S. workers will have 90 days to find another internal role. Unsuccessful applicants or those willing to withdraw will instead receive severance pay, health insurance benefits where applicable, and assistance in finding other employment.
Amazon is no stranger to layoffs by the thousands — three of its biggest hits included 10,000 in 2022, 8,000 in 2023, and another 9,000 in 2023 (via layoffs.fyi), but these last two rounds are even bigger than the post-pandemic cutbacks.
Another email from Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of AWS (via BBC) suggests that AWS roles are among the most at risk. “This is a continuation of the work we have been doing for over a year to strengthen the company,” Aubrey wrote, referring to Project Dawn, a code name linked to Amazon layoffs.
Former workers cited by the BBC I believe Amazon had planned to cut a total of around 30,000 jobs, with more rounds expected to occur between now and the end of May 2026. It’s unclear whether the latest round of 16,000 positions now marks the end of Amazon’s 30,000 layoffs.
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