Amazon plans to eliminate about 16,000 jobs, the company announced Wednesday, marking one of its largest rounds of layoffs since 2023.
Beth Galetti, a senior vice president, confirmed the cuts in a blog post. The move follows a previous reduction in October, when Amazon laid off 14,000 employees.
Galetti said U.S.-based employees affected by the layoffs will have 90 days to apply for other roles within the company. Those who do not find a new position or decline to seek one will receive severance pay, job placement support, and continued health insurance benefits.
“While we’re making these changes, we’ll also continue hiring and investing in strategic areas and functions that are critical to our future,” Galetti said.
The company’s workforce expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet increased demand for online shopping. Since then, many technology and retail firms have reduced staff to align costs with current demand.
The job market has shown signs of slowing. U.S. employers added 50,000 jobs in December, a slight decrease from 56,000 in November, according to revised labor figures. Data suggest that some businesses remain hesitant to hire due to past overstaffing, inflation, shifting tariff policies under President Donald Trump, and the growing use of artificial intelligence, which may reshape workforce needs.
