Amazon is reportedly planning to cut up to 30,000 jobs this week, according to sources cited by Reuters. This would be the largest mass layoff in the company’s 31‑year history and reflects an effort to reduce expenses after overhiring during the COVID‑19 pandemic, when it added 427,300 new employees between January and October 2020. With approximately 1.5 million workers worldwide, Amazon is one of the largest employers in the United States.
The company’s previous biggest layoff occurred between November 2022 and March 2023, when it eliminated 27,000 corporate positions. This week’s cuts are expected to begin on Tuesday and will target corporate employees, though the specific roles affected have not been disclosed. Earlier in the month, Fortune reported that Amazon plans to cut up to 15 percent of its human‑resources workforce, which numbers over 10,000 globally. Amazon has not commented on the reports, and its spokesperson has not responded to requests for confirmation.
The layoffs are part of a broader trend of cost‑cutting measures at Amazon, which has faced several challenges in recent months. The company has been involved in labor disputes, including the reported firing of more than 150 unionized drivers in New York last month. The union claimed the dismissals were retaliatory, while Amazon maintains that the drivers are not its employees.
Amazon is also exploring automation, aiming to replace over half a million jobs with robots. A New York Times report said the company intends to automate 75 percent of its operations, including creating warehouses that require only a small number of human workers. However, an Amazon spokesperson said the internal documents cited by the Times do not represent the company’s overall hiring strategy.
Despite the layoffs, Amazon continues to hire, planning to bring on 250,000 seasonal workers for the holiday season. These positions are likely to be temporary, highlighting the ongoing shift in the company’s workforce. As Amazon navigates the post‑pandemic economy, the impact of these layoffs on employees and the broader job market remains uncertain.
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