Amazon employees receive early morning layoff texts, 90 days full pay amid AI restructuring

New Delhi: Amazon has started notifying employees about layoffs via early morning text messages, drawing widespread attention to the method of communication used in its global workforce reduction. Affected employees were advised to check work or personal emails before reporting to the office or contact a help desk if they had not received a formal notice regarding their role, according to a report by Business Insider.

The early notifications were designed to prevent employees from arriving at offices only to find that their access badges were deactivated.

Full pay and benefits for 90 days

Amazon has assured those impacted that they will receive full pay and benefits for the next 90 days, including a severance package, as confirmed in an internal blog post by Amazon Chief HR Officer Beth Galetti. Galetti highlighted that while the company is cutting roles, it will continue to hire in key strategic areas and invest in efficiency-enhancing initiatives.

“This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before,” Galetti said, underscoring Amazon’s rationale for the restructuring.

Scope of layoffs: Who is affected?

The global layoffs affect over 14,000 employees, with more than 78% from managerial levels five to seven, encompassing junior to senior management roles. More than 80% of impacted employees work in Amazon’s retail division, including e-commerce, human resources, and logistics teams.

These layoffs are part of Amazon’s ongoing AI-driven restructuring, aiming to streamline operations, reduce redundant roles, and improve efficiency across its global business.

Amazon’s move reflects a broader trend in the tech industry, where AI adoption and operational restructuring are driving layoffs across companies worldwide.