Amazon Layoffs 2026: 16,000 Jobs Cut, Is AI the Reason?
Amazon has begun sending emails to thousands of employees as part of its latest round of layoffs (Layoffs 2026). These emails inform employees that their roles are being eliminated and that their time at Amazon will end after a specified notice period. The company has also clarified that approximately 16,000 jobs are being cut globally in this round, although employees are being offered options such as a transition period, severance packages, and job support.
This new phase of layoffs was officially announced on Wednesday, January 28, by Amazon’s Chief People Officer, Beth Galetti. She also shared a blog post detailing the changes. According to the company, this step was taken to make the organization more streamlined, reduce management layers, and decrease bureaucracy. Amazon says that these changes were completed in some teams in October, while the process has just been completed in others.
The emails sent to employees clearly state (via Business Insider) that the “difficult decision” to eliminate certain roles was made after a review of the organization and future priorities. The emails also state that employees will officially be separated from the company after the notice period. Their office access badges were immediately deactivated, and in many cases, they were escorted out of the office by security staff.
According to emails sent to several employees, affected staff are being given a 90-day non-working transition period. During this time, employees will not be allowed to come to the office and will not be required to perform any work. Despite this, they will continue to receive their full salary and all benefits for these 90 days. The company has clarified that employees can use this time to look for a new job or make future plans. Amazon has stated that severance packages will be determined based on employees’ location and seniority. In addition, employees will receive transitional benefits, health insurance (where applicable), and external job placement support. The company is also providing affected employees with free access to AWS Skill Builder for 12 months, enabling them to learn new skills and prepare themselves for other opportunities.
Although office access has been restricted, Amazon has confirmed that employees will retain access to certain internal channels during the transition period. This includes official email and some internal tools, which employees will be able to access on their personal devices. The company has advised employees to keep their YubiKeys secure to avoid any issues with email access.
In her blog post, Beth Galetti also stated that Amazon does not intend to conduct large-scale layoffs every few months. However, the company will continue to ask each team to regularly assess whether their work pace and ability to innovate for customers are on the right track. Amazon also reiterated that despite the layoffs, it will continue hiring and investing in key sectors for the future.
