Amazon Begins Layoffs, Says Some Roles ‘No Longer Necessary’

Amazon layoffs have reportedly started becoming real just a few days after reports of employees expected to be sacked surfaced. After Meta and Twitter layoffs, the Jeff Bezos-founded company has started mass layoffs in corporate ranks amid fears of a global economic downturn. 

As per an AP report, on Tuesday, Amazon informed its regional authorities in California that it is planning to axe close to 260 jobs that various facilities. This would mean that job roles of data scientists, software engineers and other corporate workers are expected to be impacted. The report adds that these job cuts at Amazon would be effective, starting January 17. 

The report adds that Kelly Nantel, Amazon spokesperson said in a statement, “As part of our annual operating planning review process, we always look at each of our businesses and what we believe we should change.” The statement reportedly added, “As we have gone through this, given the current macro-economic environment (as well as several years of rapid hiring), some teams are making adjustments, which in some cases means certain roles are no longer necessary.”

While the company is also reportedly sacking employees in an effort to cut costs, the way it is being done is expected to be different from Twitter and Meta layoffs. According to AP, Amazon is not expected to specify how many more layoffs are in line beyond the ones already “confirmed through California’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, also known as WARN.” This act, as per AP, requires companies to give 60 days’ notice, if they have 75 or more full-time or part-time workers. 

But many experts reportedly saw these layoffs at Amazon coming. Earlier this month, the company announced that it would pause corporate hiring. Following these reports and other tech layoffs, reports surfaced that Amazon was planning to sack over 10,000 jobs. While the numbers were not officially confirmed by the company, on Tuesday, as per AP, many employees in different units started claiming that they were let go by Amazon.