Amazon’s late-January 2026 announcement of sweeping job cuts marked a pivotal moment in the company’s ongoing transformation. On January 28, Beth Galetti, the company’s Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, disclosed that approximately 16,000 corporate positions were being eliminated worldwide. This followed a prior round of layoffs in October 2025 that removed roughly 14,000 roles, bringing the combined total close to 30,000. In practical terms, the reductions amounted to about ten percent of Amazon’s global corporate workforce, excluding warehouse and fulfillment employees, making it one of the most significant restructurings in the company’s history.
Amazon’s leadership positioned the decision as a strategic recalibration rather than a retreat. Executives cited the need to streamline internal structures, reduce overlapping management layers, and eliminate processes that slowed decision-making. CEO Andy Jassy, who has led the company since 2021, reiterated that Amazon must operate with greater speed and ownership to compete in an environment where rivals such as Microsoft, Google, and a growing field of AI-focused companies are investing aggressively. Resources freed by the cuts, leadership argued, would be redirected toward high-impact areas including artificial intelligence development, expansion of AWS infrastructure, and faster innovation for customers. Galetti emphasized that while there was no intention to make mass layoffs a recurring pattern, teams would continue adjusting headcount to align with business priorities.
The impact of the layoffs was felt across a wide range of corporate functions. Employees in AWS, retail operations, devices, advertising, and human resources were among those affected. In the United States, many employees were given a 90-day window to search for internal opportunities while continuing to receive full pay and benefits, without being required to perform daily work. Those who did not secure new roles, or who chose not to pursue them, were offered severance packages, career transition assistance, and continued health benefits where applicable. Outside the U.S., the terms varied depending on local labor laws, reflecting the complexity of executing a global restructuring at this scale.
Beyond the numbers, the cuts reignited debate about the human toll of restructuring in Big Tech. Many employees reported feelings of disbelief and disorientation, particularly after the pandemic-era hiring surge that had rapidly expanded headcount. In cities like Seattle, where Amazon’s presence is deeply woven into the local economy, the layoffs rippled outward, affecting restaurants, housing demand, and service businesses dependent on corporate workers. At the same time, the broader tech job market in 2026 had cooled, making the prospect of finding new roles more uncertain for those suddenly displaced.
Amid this backdrop, one individual story brought the broader dynamics into sharp focus. A former employee described preparing for their first substantial vacation in years, intended as a rare chance to rest after an extended period of intense work. Just two days before departure, they were called into an HR meeting and informed that their role was being eliminated as part of the January cuts. The meeting was described as formal and impersonal, offering little room for discussion. When the employee asked about their pre-approved vacation, the response was vague, with assurances that the issue would be addressed later.
The situation worsened when the employee received their final paycheck, which did not include payment for the approved vacation time. An accompanying message explained that once employment ended, the approved leave no longer applied. Given that flights had been booked and plans finalized, the decision felt particularly harsh. Rather than accepting the outcome, the former employee reviewed Amazon’s internal policies and found language clearly stating that approved vacation must either be honored or paid out upon termination, depending on circumstances and local law. After sharing this information with HR and requesting clarification, the company quickly reversed course. The termination date was adjusted retroactively, allowing the employee to remain officially on approved vacation during the planned time off, with full compensation.
Upon returning, the individual was offered potential paths back into the company, but chose to decline, citing a loss of trust. Their experience, while anecdotal, highlighted recurring themes in large-scale layoffs: inconsistencies in policy application during chaotic periods, the importance of understanding employment rights, and the emotional strain imposed by abrupt transitions. As Amazon continues to reshape itself around AI-driven growth and operational efficiency, stories like this underscore the need to balance strategic ambition with empathy, transparency, and fair treatment of the people behind the statistics.
