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Amazon Layoffs: Latest Updates, Severance, WARN and Employee Guide

Active major layoffHigh confidenceLatest verified event: July 22, 2026· Reviewed September 17, 2026

Amazon is in an active, multi-round corporate reduction: after ~14,000 (Oct 2025) and ~16,000 (Jan 2026) company-wide cuts, it has continued smaller 2026 waves, most recently in its AGI organization in July 2026.

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Educational, employee-first summary of publicly available information — not legal, financial, tax or immigration advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon. Verify your specific situation with HR, official notices and qualified professionals.

Quick answer

Latest verified development
In July 2026 Amazon confirmed fresh layoffs in its Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) organization — eliminating model-customization and post-training roles as it refocuses on enterprise AI deployment — the latest of several 2026 waves after it announced about 16,000 corporate roles company-wide in January 2026 and about 14,000 in October 2025. Amazon did not disclose the AGI headcount.
What kind of event
A companywide corporate/tech reduction (not warehouse/hourly operations), spread across multiple divisions and multiple rounds, continuing in smaller 2026 waves.
What number is confirmed
~14,000 (Oct 2025) and ~16,000 (Jan 2026) are company-announced. The July 2026 AGI cuts were confirmed by Amazon but the number was not disclosed. Reuters reported the broader total could approach 30,000 — a reported ceiling, not a confirmed count.
Who appears most affected
Corporate and tech roles across AWS, Prime Video/MGM Studios, Devices & Services, People Experience & Technology (HR) and stores/retail in the big rounds; most recently AGI/AI research roles (model customization, post-training). Confirm whether your specific team and role were affected.
What to verify first
Your official termination date, whether you have a 90-day internal search window, your severance offer, and your unvested-RSU vest dates.

Current status as of August 26, 2026

Classification: Active major layoff

Confirmed

  • ✓July 2026: fresh layoffs in the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) organization — model-customization and post-training roles; Amazon confirmed the cuts but did not disclose the number.
  • ✓January 2026: ~16,000 corporate roles (company-announced).
  • ✓October 2025: ~14,000 corporate roles (company-announced via Beth Galetti memo).
  • ✓Amazon says it will keep hiring in strategic areas even while reducing elsewhere.

Reported / proposed (not confirmed)

  • •Reuters reported the total across rounds could reach ~30,000 — a reported ceiling, not a confirmed figure.
  • •Smaller 2026 waves were also reported (customer service in April, third-party seller support in May), plus a Washington WARN filing of 57 layoffs between May and early June 2026.

Amazon snapshot

Legal employer nameAmazon.com, Inc.
Common nameAmazon
Parent companyNone (independent)
Covered subsidiariesAmazon Web Services (AWS), Prime Video / MGM Studios, Devices & Services
IndustryE-commerce, cloud computing and technology
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, United States
TickerAMZN (NASDAQ)
Employee base~1,576,000 full-time and part-time worldwide (mostly hourly/operations); corporate & tech is a much smaller subset that Amazon does not break out (as of December 31, 2025)
Latest verified eventLayoffs in the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) organization — July 22, 2026
Historical H-1B sponsorYes (federal data)
Source confidenceHigh confidence
Guide last reviewedSeptember 17, 2026 by Deepak Middha

Amazon layoff timeline

Amazon's recent reductions are corporate and technology roles, distinct from its ~1.5M-person hourly operations workforce. Rounds are listed newest first. Confirm whether your specific org and role were in scope — division-level reporting does not mean every team was affected.

Layoffs in the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) organization

July 22, 2026medium
LayoffCompany-announcedAffected: undisclosed (AGI organization)
Affected divisions
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
Affected roles
Model customization, Post-training, Frontier research
Locations
Multiple (U.S. tech hubs)

Company-stated reason: Amazon said the cuts sharpen focus within the AGI organization and speed up the initiatives it considers most important, pivoting toward enterprise AI deployment over frontier research, alongside a large AI-infrastructure buildout. [1]

What this means for you: Amazon confirmed these cuts but did not disclose the number. If you're in AGI/AI research, confirm whether your specific team (model customization vs. post-training vs. deployment) is affected, and check for a WARN filing in your work state.

~16,000 additional corporate roles

January 28, 2026high
LayoffCompany-announcedAffected: ~16,000
Affected divisions
AWS, Prime Video / MGM Studios, People Experience & Technology (HR), Retail / stores, Devices & Services
Affected roles
Corporate, Technical, Program/product management
Locations
Seattle, WA, Bellevue, WA, Arlington, VA (HQ2), Bay Area, CA, New York, NY

Company-stated reason: Continued reorganization to operate more leanly with fewer layers, and to reallocate toward AI and strategic priorities. [5],[4]

What this means for you: Division names in reporting are broad. Get your org, role, and official termination date in writing, and confirm whether the 90-day internal-search approach applied to your round.

~14,000 corporate roles (largest corporate cut to date)

October 28, 2025high
LayoffCompany-announcedAffected: ~14,000
Affected divisions
Multiple corporate organizations
Affected roles
Corporate, Technical, Support functions
Locations
Company-wide (U.S. corporate hubs)

Company-stated reason: Beth Galetti's memo framed the cuts around operating more leanly and moving faster, citing AI as 'the most transformative technology since the internet.' [2],[3]

What this means for you: Affected employees were given about 90 days to search for another internal role before separation. If that applied to you, treat it as a real, time-boxed window — line up references, recruiter contacts and your equity picture immediately.

18,000+ roles (part of ~27,000 across late 2022–2023)

January 4, 2023high
LayoffCompany-announcedAffected: 18,000+ (round); ~27,000 across the cycle
Affected divisions
Devices (Alexa), Amazon Books/stores, People Experience & Technology (HR), Amazon Stores/retail, AWS (in later 2023 actions)
Affected roles
Corporate, Technical
Locations
Company-wide

Company-stated reason: CEO Andy Jassy cited rapid pandemic-era hiring followed by an uncertain economy. [6]

What this means for you: This earlier cycle was a macro/over-hiring correction. It's useful historical context for how Amazon communicates and staggers rounds, but 2025–2026 terms and rationale differ — do not assume identical severance.

What changed between rounds

2022–2023 (macro correction) vs. 2025–2026 (AI/efficiency)

The 2022–2023 cuts (~27,000) were framed as unwinding pandemic-era over-hiring during an uncertain economy. The 2025–2026 rounds (~14,000 then ~16,000) are framed explicitly around AI, fewer management layers, and reallocating investment — a structural efficiency argument, not just a demand correction. That matters because 'efficiency' reorganizations tend to remove roles rather than pause hiring, and Amazon says it will keep hiring in strategic areas simultaneously.

Corporate/tech — not the hourly operations workforce

All of these rounds target corporate and technology roles. Amazon's ~1.5M hourly operations and warehouse workforce is managed separately (seasonal ramps, facility-level staffing) and is not what these headline cuts describe. If you are an hourly/operations employee, your situation, notices, and benefits differ.

The 90-day internal-search window

In the October 2025 round Amazon gave affected employees roughly 90 days to find another internal role before separation. That is different from an immediate cutoff — it changes your timeline for equity, references and job search. Confirm whether it applied to your specific round and org.

WARN notice research

Amazon's corporate cuts are spread across many states, so the WARN picture is fragmented and state-specific. WARN coverage depends on the worksite, event size, timing, exceptions and each state's law, and remote employees are generally tied to the site they report to — not Amazon's Seattle headquarters. Verify filings in the relevant state's official database rather than assuming.

Legal employerStateCity / worksiteNotice dateEffectiveAffectedOfficial filing
Amazon.com Services LLCWashingtonSeattle / Bellevue — Puget Sound corporate offices + remote Washington workersMay 15, 2026June 5, 202657Washington Employment Security Department (ESD)

Check the official WARN database for your worksite state:

Washington WARN California WARN New York WARN New Jersey WARN Virginia WARN
WARN Tracker What a WARN notice means WARN law by state

Historically reported Amazon severance packages

Historically reported Amazon severance packages. Amazon has publicly described the shape of its transition support but has not published a per-year severance formula, so treat the items below as reported context, not a guaranteed offer.

U.S. corporate employees (Oct 2025 and Jan 2026 rounds) · 2025

Reported / undisclosedmedium

United States

Amazon's October 2025 memo said affected employees would get about 90 days to search for another internal role, with recruiting teams prioritizing internal candidates. Employees who did not find a role (or chose not to look) were told they would receive transition support: severance pay, outplacement services and health-insurance benefits. Amazon did not publish a per-year severance formula. [2]

Internal search window~90 days to find another internal role (reported for the Oct 2025 round)
Severance payProvided; amount not publicly disclosed as a formula (historically tenure-related)
OutplacementReported to be included
Health insuranceTransition benefits / COBRA information referenced — confirm your coverage end date
Equity (RSUs)Unvested RSU treatment set by the equity plan and award agreement — confirm your vest dates and how each unvested tranche is treated
ReleaseA severance agreement / release is typically required — read it carefully (see OWBPA if you are 40+)
The variable that matters: tenure, and for corporate roles, levelAmazon has never published a per-year formula, but its severance has historically scaled with length of service, and corporate packages differ by job level. Ask for your calculation expressed against your recorded service date and level — and check the service date, because an internal transfer or an acquisition can record it later than your actual first day.
Value the 90-day internal search window as compensationThe roughly 90-day window to find another internal role is paid employment, not a courtesy. If you do not find a role, you were still employed and benefited through it. Count it alongside the severance figure when you compare your package or model your runway — and confirm whether your severance is calculated from the start or the end of that window.
Cash is often not the largest numberFor longer-tenured corporate employees, forfeited unvested RSUs frequently exceed the cash severance in value. Get a written schedule showing every unvested tranche and its vest date against your separation date before you evaluate the offer as a whole.

Note: Past packages provide historical context only. Your terms may differ by layoff round, role, level, tenure, location, legal employer and separation agreement. LayoffNext did not locate a sufficiently reliable public per-year severance formula for these rounds — ask HR for your specific numbers in writing.

What signing asks you to give up

Severance is almost never a gift. In the United States it is nearly always consideration — payment in exchange for a release of claims, which is the operative half of the document and the half that is easy to skim past. Before you sign Amazon's agreement, know what the release actually covers and what it cannot.

Typically waivedClaims arising from your employment and its end — discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment and retaliation — usually including claims you do not yet know about.
Wage claims — treated differentlyDo not assume unpaid wages are released just because the agreement is broadly worded. Whether a statutory wage claim can be released at all varies by the statute and by your state. Federal minimum-wage and overtime rights under the FLSA are the clearest example: the Supreme Court held that allowing employees to waive statutory wages “would nullify the purposes of the Act,” and extended the same reasoning to liquidated damages (Brooklyn Savings Bank v. O'Neil, 324 U.S. 697 (1945)). Congress provided a specific route instead — payment supervised by the Secretary of Labor, which on payment in full does waive the private right of action (29 U.S.C. § 216(c)) — and courts commonly require court approval or a bona fide dispute for anything else, with the rules differing between circuits. Several states go further: California, for example, voids a release of a wage claim taken before the wages are paid, and bars its wage-payment rules from being “contravened or set aside by a private agreement” (Cal. Lab. Code §§ 206.5, 219). If you are owed final pay, PTO, commissions or overtime, treat that as a separate question from the release and get advice on your own state's rule.
Often added alongsideNon-disparagement, confidentiality about the agreement, cooperation clauses, return-of-property terms, and sometimes non-solicit or non-compete restrictions. These are obligations you take on, not claims you release — read them separately.
Cannot be waivedYour right to file a charge with the EEOC, or to take part in an EEOC investigation. Federal regulation is explicit: no waiver agreement may include a provision prohibiting anyone from filing a charge — including a challenge to the validity of the waiver itself— or from participating in an EEOC proceeding, and none may impose a penalty or condition that adversely affects that right (29 C.F.R. § 1625.22(i)). Vested retirement benefits, unemployment eligibility and, in most states, workers' compensation claims also sit outside a release.
If you are 40 or older“An individual may not waive any right or claim under this chapter unless the waiver is knowing and voluntary” — and the ADEA sets out what that requires at a minimum (29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)). Which consideration period applies depends on how the offer is made:
  • At least 21 days to consider the agreement — the general rule for a waiver offered to you individually (§ 626(f)(1)(F)(i)).
  • At least 45 days instead, where the waiver is requested in connection with an exit incentive or other employment termination program offered to a group or class of employees (§ 626(f)(1)(F)(ii)). Whether your separation is part of such a program is a factual question about how the employer structured and offered the waiver — a company announcing a layoff round does not by itself establish that every separation agreement in it is part of a group program.
  • At least 7 days after you sign in which you may revoke, and the agreement cannot become effective or enforceable until that period expires (§ 626(f)(1)(G)). This one cannot be shortened.
  • Where a waiver is requested in connection with such a group program, the employer must also inform you in writing, at the start of the consideration period, of the class, unit or group covered, the eligibility factors and any time limits, plus the job titles and ages of everyone eligible or selected and the ages of everyone in the same job classification or organizational unit who was not selected (§ 626(f)(1)(H)).
Do not assume which period applies to you. Read the agreement itself — it normally states the consideration period on its face — and check whether you were given decisional-unit information alongside it. If the stated window is shorter than you expected, or group disclosures are absent where the waiver appears to be tied to a group program, that is worth raising with an employment lawyer before you sign rather than assuming either 21 or 45 days is your entitlement.

If those requirements are not met, the age-claim waiver does not hold. The Supreme Court put it plainly in Oubre v. Entergy Operations, Inc., 522 U.S. 422 (1998): a release that does not comply with the OWBPA “is unenforceable against her insofar as it purports to waive or release her ADEA claim… the release cannot bar her ADEA suit, irrespective of the validity of the contract as to other claims” — and she did not have to give the money back first. Note the second half of that sentence: the defect invalidates the ADEA waiver, not automatically every other provision of the agreement, which may still bind you. It is also the employer's burden to prove a waiver was knowing and voluntary (§ 626(f)(3)), which is why a shortened window or a missing group disclosure is worth raising before you sign rather than after. Severance agreements over 40 (OWBPA) covers this in full, and severance agreement red flags covers the clauses worth pushing back on. This is general information, not legal advice about your situation.

Past packages provide historical context only. Your terms may differ by layoff round, role, level, tenure, location, legal employer and separation agreement. If you are 40 or older, review the severance agreement over 40 (OWBPA) guide before signing.

Estimate your severance

Free severance pay calculator — not a promise of Amazon terms.

Calculate your runway

Combine severance, notice/WARN pay, final pay, PTO, unemployment and savings against expenses.

Amazon-specific compensation issues

RSUs and back-weighted vesting

Amazon compensation has historically been RSU-heavy, with equity that vests on a back-weighted schedule (more shares vest in later years). Because the treatment of unvested RSUs is controlled by the applicable equity plan, your award agreement and your separation terms, a layoff shortly before a large vest can put a big share of expected pay at risk — ask how each unvested tranche will be treated rather than assuming it is forfeited. Pull your vesting schedule now and calculate what you lose at your termination date versus any next vest — and factor that into any negotiation or internal-transfer decision. [2]

Year 1–2 cash sign-on bonuses

Amazon historically pairs low early RSU vesting with cash sign-on bonuses in the first one to two years. If you are still within that window, confirm whether any unpaid sign-on amounts are affected by separation, and whether any sign-on is subject to clawback based on your termination reason and date. [2]

Internal transfer as a compensation lever

Because Amazon offered an internal-search window in 2025, an internal transfer (where available) can preserve tenure and equity continuity in a way severance cannot. If you are close to a meaningful vest, weigh an internal role against taking severance — but get any internal offer, start date and comp in writing before your search window closes. [2]

Health insurance, benefits and final pay

  • •Confirm your exact health-coverage end date — it is not always your last working day.
  • •Amazon referenced health-insurance benefits as part of transition support; confirm whether any employer subsidy applies or whether it is standard COBRA, and compare COBRA against ACA Marketplace options.
  • •Losing job-based coverage generally creates a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period, available for 60 days before and 60 days after the loss of coverage; verify the effective-date mechanics for the plan you choose.
  • •Check HSA/FSA balances and deadlines, and any dependent-coverage end dates.
Final pay, unused PTO, bonus and commission treatment depend on your work state, company policy, legal employer, separation agreement and pay classification — there is no single nationwide rule (for example, some states treat accrued PTO as earned wages, others leave it to policy). Verify with these tools:
Final Paycheck CalculatorCOBRA vs MarketplaceUnemployment hubSeverance & tax

H-1B and employment-visa considerations

Historical sponsorship: Yes — Amazon.com Services LLC and affiliated Amazon entities

Federal H-1B petition and labor-condition-application data shows Amazon entities among the largest H-1B sponsors in the United States for years. This does not mean every subsidiary, role or location currently provides or continues sponsorship. If you are on an H-1B and were affected, the regulation provides an eligible H-1B worker a discretionary period of up to 60 consecutive days following cessation of the employment on which the classification was based, or until the authorized validity period ends, whichever is shorter, and DHS may shorten or eliminate it. A payroll, severance or employer-labelled termination date does not automatically resolve when that cessation occurred, so confirm the facts promptly with qualified immigration counsel. Last-working-day versus payroll-end dates are exactly the kind of fact to verify rather than assume. [8]

  • •For an eligible H-1B worker, the regulation provides a discretionary period of up to 60 consecutive days following cessation of the employment on which the classification was based, or until the authorized validity period ends, whichever is shorter (8 C.F.R. § 214.1(l)(2)). It is available once during each authorized validity period, and DHS may shorten or eliminate it.
  • •A payroll, severance or employer-labelled termination date does not automatically resolve when that cessation occurred. Confirm the facts promptly with qualified immigration counsel rather than counting days from the date on your letter.
  • •The period may allow a transfer, a change of status or departure, but it is not work authorization in itself — unless otherwise authorized, you may not work during it.
  • •Ask about internal transfer and subsidiary transfer options, employment-verification letters, and any I-140/green-card process impact.
H-1B layoff guide60-day countdownQuestions for an immigration attorney

This is general information, not case-specific legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your situation.

Alumni and former-employee networks

Amazon has a large alumni footprint across tech, AWS and operations. Use the shared alumni directory to find former-employee networks and referral threads rather than relying on any single group; reconnect with people who left in earlier rounds — they know the current market.

Amazon alumni network

Amazon alumni groups across tech, ops, and AWS.

Corporate and AWS alumni cluster separately from fulfilment-centre and Whole Foods alumni — search the business you were in.

Alumni network · LinkedIn alumni search · opens a public LinkedIn people search · link checked 2026-08-26

Open

Communities beyond Amazon

  • Layoffs.fyi

    Tech layoff tracker with a community list of laid-off talent open to work.

    Visit

  • VetsinTech

    Nonprofit connecting military veterans to tech training, employment and a national network.

    Visit

  • Disability:IN

    Business network for disability inclusion — employer directory and a talent programme.

    Visit
All alumni networks and ERGs for Amazon

Questions to ask Amazon HR

  1. 1. Which legal entity employs me, and which reduction round am I part of?

    Why it matters: Amazon has many entities and multiple rounds; your entity and round drive your terms.

  2. 2. What is my official employment termination date, and is my last working day different from my payroll-end date?

    Why it matters: This date drives benefits, equity and any visa grace period.

  3. 3. Do I have an internal-search window, and how long is it?

    Why it matters: The Oct 2025 round included ~90 days to find another internal role.

  4. 4. Is the money I'm being offered severance, or is it transition/notice pay — and is it a lump sum or salary continuation?

  5. 5. How much severance, and how is it calculated (tenure, level, location)?

    Why it matters: Amazon has not published a public formula — get your number in writing.

  6. 6. What happens to my unvested RSUs, and is my next vest date before or after my termination date?

  7. 7. Do I have any unpaid sign-on bonus, and is it subject to clawback?

  8. 8. When exactly does my health coverage end, and is there any employer subsidy or is it standard COBRA?

  9. 9. Is outplacement included, and for how long?

  10. 10. If I'm on a work visa, who provides employment-verification letters and immigration documentation, and by when?

  11. 11. Does the release cover Amazon subsidiaries and affiliates, and how long do I have to review it (and revoke, if 40+)?

  12. 12. How will Amazon code my separation for unemployment purposes?

Get the important answers in writing where you can.

Employee action plan

First 24 hours

  • →Do firstSave permitted personal documents (offer letter, pay stubs, RSU/vesting schedule, benefits summaries, performance docs) before access ends — do not take confidential Amazon materials.
  • →Do firstWrite down your official termination date, last working day, and whether you have an internal-search window.
  • →Do firstIf you are on an H-1B or other work visa, note your termination date and start reviewing grace-period options today.
  • →Do not sign the severance agreement immediately — you generally have time to review (and, if 40+, a longer review/revocation window).

First 7 days

  • →Pull your RSU vesting schedule and calculate what vests before vs. after your termination date.
  • →Do firstRead the separation agreement carefully; note the review deadline and any non-disparagement, non-compete/non-solicit and release terms.
  • →Estimate your severance and runway, and compare COBRA vs. ACA Marketplace for health coverage.
  • →If you have an internal-search window, treat it as a real job search — update your internal profile, reach out to hiring managers, and line up referrals.
  • →Reconnect with Amazon alumni and former colleagues for referrals and market intel.

First 30 days

  • →File for unemployment in your work state as soon as you're eligible; severance can affect timing in some states.
  • →Decide on health coverage before your COBRA/Marketplace deadlines.
  • →Compare your 401(k) options; avoid rushed early withdrawals.
  • →Do firstIf on a visa, finalize your transfer/change-of-status plan with counsel well inside your grace period.
  • →Run your severance and runway numbers through LayoffNext's calculators and build a written plan.

Related LayoffNext tools

Build My Layoff Plan Severance Pay Calculator Layoff Runway Calculator Final Paycheck & PTO Payout Calculator COBRA vs Marketplace Unemployment hub WARN Tracker H-1B 60-Day Countdown Alumni & ERG Directory Job Search After Layoff

Related company guides

Microsoft layoff guideGoogle layoff guideOracle layoff guideUPS layoff guide

Amazon layoffs — frequently asked questions

Is Amazon laying off employees in 2026?+
Yes. In January 2026 Amazon said it would eliminate about 16,000 corporate roles, following roughly 14,000 corporate cuts it announced in October 2025, and it has continued smaller waves since — most recently confirming layoffs in its Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) organization in July 2026 (number not disclosed). Amazon keeps hiring in some strategic areas. These are corporate and technology roles, not its hourly operations workforce. [1],[5],[2]
How many people did Amazon lay off?+
Amazon announced about 14,000 corporate roles in October 2025 and about 16,000 in January 2026. Reuters reported the total across rounds could reach as many as 30,000, but treat 30,000 as a reported ceiling rather than a confirmed count. The 14,000 and 16,000 figures are the company-announced numbers. [3],[5],[4]
Which teams were affected by Amazon layoffs?+
Reporting points to corporate and technical roles across AWS, Prime Video/MGM Studios, Devices & Services, People Experience & Technology (HR), and stores/retail. Division-level reporting does not mean every team within those groups was cut — confirm whether your specific org and role were affected. [5]
What severance is Amazon offering?+
Amazon's October 2025 memo described transition support including severance pay, outplacement and health-insurance benefits, plus roughly 90 days to search for another internal role. Amazon did not publish a per-year severance formula, so your actual amount depends on role, level, tenure, location and your agreement — ask HR for your specific numbers in writing. [2]
What happens to my Amazon RSUs if I'm laid off?+
The treatment of unvested RSUs is controlled by the applicable equity plan, your award agreement and your separation terms. Because Amazon equity has historically vested on a back-weighted schedule, a layoff shortly before a large vest can forfeit a significant part of your expected pay. Pull your vesting schedule and compare what vests before versus after your termination date. [2]
Did Amazon file WARN notices?+
WARN obligations depend on the worksite, the number affected, timing and each state's law. Amazon's cuts span many states, so any filings would appear in individual state databases rather than one national list. Search the official WARN database for your work state (for example, Washington's ESD database) and use the LayoffNext WARN Tracker as a starting point. [9]
Does Amazon sponsor H-1B workers?+
Yes, historically. Federal H-1B petition and labor-condition-application data has shown Amazon entities among the largest H-1B sponsors in the U.S. for years. That does not guarantee sponsorship for every role or location going forward. If you're on an H-1B and were affected, act quickly on your grace-period options and confirm your dates with immigration counsel. [8]
Can laid-off Amazon employees collect unemployment?+
Layoffs are generally a qualifying reason for unemployment, but eligibility, amounts and how severance affects timing depend on your work state. File in the state where you worked as soon as you're eligible, and confirm how any severance or PTO payout affects your benefit start date.
What should Amazon employees ask HR first?+
Confirm your official termination date, whether you have an internal-search window, whether the money offered is severance or notice/transition pay, what happens to your unvested RSUs and any sign-on bonus, when your health coverage ends, and — if you're on a visa — who provides immigration documentation and by when. Get the important answers in writing. [2]
Where can former Amazon employees find alumni networks?+
Amazon has a large alumni footprint across tech, AWS and operations. Use the LayoffNext Alumni & ERG Network directory to find former-employee networks and referral threads, and reconnect with people who left in earlier rounds — they often have the best current market intel and can make warm introductions.

Sources and methodology

Every material figure on this page references a numbered source below. We prioritize company and SEC filings, official government and WARN data, and federal immigration data, followed by reputable reporting; anonymous posts are not used as a sole source for any material claim. Confidence labels describe source strength, not certainty for your situation: supported by company, sec, government, or multiple strong sources. (High); credible reporting exists but important details remain incomplete. (Medium); public evidence is incomplete or primarily secondary. (Limited).

  1. [1] Amazon announces fresh job cuts in its Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) organization Reputable reporting

    American Bazaar / Republic World · July 22, 2026 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · secondary

    Supports: jul-2026-agi, agi-model-customization-post-training

  2. [2] A message from Beth Galetti, SVP of People Experience and Technology Company / official

    Amazon (About Amazon) · October 28, 2025 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · primary

    Supports: oct-2025-14000, 90-day-internal-search, severance-outplacement-benefits, ai-efficiency-reason

  3. [3] Amazon just cut 14,000 jobs, and it's not done Reputable reporting

    CNN Business · October 28, 2025 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · secondary

    Supports: oct-2025-14000, largest-since-2022

  4. [4] Amazon layoffs could reach as many as 30,000 corporate roles (Reuters, reported via Deadline) Reputable reporting

    Reuters / Deadline · October 27, 2025 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · secondary

    Supports: 30k-total-reported

  5. [5] Amazon says it is laying off 16,000 employees Reputable reporting

    TechCrunch · January 28, 2026 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · secondary

    Supports: jan-2026-16000, divisions-aws-prime-mgm-pxt-retail

  6. [6] Andy Jassy message: role eliminations affecting just over 18,000 roles Company / official

    Amazon (About Amazon) · January 4, 2023 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · primary

    Supports: 2022-23-18000-plus, devices-books-pxt-stores

  7. [7] Amazon.com, Inc. Form 10-K (fiscal year ended December 31, 2024) — employee headcount SEC filing

    U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC EDGAR) · February 7, 2025 · Accessed July 24, 2026 · primary

    Supports: employee-base

  8. [8] USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub — Amazon entities Federal immigration data

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · Accessed July 24, 2026 · primary

    Supports: h1b-historical-sponsorship

  9. [9] WARN layoff and closure database Government / WARN

    Washington Employment Security Department · Accessed July 24, 2026 · primary

    Supports: warn-verification

  10. [10] Amazon.com, Inc. Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 — approximately 1,576,000 full-time and part-time employees at 31 December 2025 SEC filing

    U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC EDGAR) · February 6, 2026 · Accessed August 26, 2026 · primary

    Supports: “As of December 31, 2025, we employed approximately 1,576,000 full-time and part-time employees.”

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Methodology & standards

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This guide is an educational summary of publicly available information about Amazon and is not legal, financial, tax, immigration, benefits or employment advice. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by Amazon. Severance, benefits, equity, WARN coverage and legal rights vary by role, level, location, tenure, legal employer, agreement and applicable law, and companies change terms between rounds. Verify your specifics with HR, official notices, state agencies and qualified professionals. See our full disclaimer.

Deepak Middha, Founder of LayoffNext
Founder of LayoffNext

Deepak Middha is the founder of LayoffNext and a Chartered Accountant (ICAI, India). A U.S. immigrant with nearly 20 years of experience — and 17 years in hedge fund and private equity administration, including as Vice President of Fund Accounting at NAV Fund Administration Group and Associate Director of Private Equity and Real Estate at SS&C Technologies — he builds free, plain-language layoff tools and guides for employees, H-1B workers, and immigrant families.

Updated September 17, 2026
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