Amazon to lay off around 16,000 employees companywide

Amazon says it is making further organizational changes that will result in the elimination of approximately 16,000 roles across the company.

The announcement was made by Beth Galetti, senior vice-president of people experience and technology at Amazon, following what was reported to be an email that was inadvertently sent to employees.

The company says the cuts follow efforts announced in October to reduce management layers, increase accountability and cut bureaucracy, with some teams completing that restructuring only recently.

Amazon says most U.S.-based employees affected by the reductions will be given 90 days to seek other positions within the company, with timelines varying internationally depending on local requirements.

It is not yet clear if the layoffs will impact Canadian operations, or by how much.

Employees who do not find new roles or choose not to pursue internal opportunities will receive severance pay, outplacement services and continued health benefits where applicable, the company says.

Despite the job cuts, Amazon says it will continue hiring and investing in strategic areas critical to its long-term growth, adding that the reductions are not intended to become a recurring cycle of broad layoffs.

The company says teams will continue to assess their structure and capacity as it adapts to a rapidly changing business environment.