Layoffs
Layoffs at major employers, tech job cuts, WARN notices and severance.
33 briefs
Today · Monday 26 October
- United States·Policy & Law
White House clears proposed PERM green card overhaul to boost protections for US workers
The White House has cleared a proposed overhaul of the PERM employment-based green card program, weeks after PERM suspensions hit major companies including Microsoft. The Labor Department says current rules date to 2004 and rely on outdated newspaper ads. Reforms would focus on recruiting Americans, protecting laid-off workers, non-discriminatory hiring and employer recordkeeping, and will go out for public comment.
- Canada & Latin America·News
ConocoPhillips confirms new Canadian layoffs without disclosing job-cut numbers
ConocoPhillips confirmed it will eliminate an undisclosed number of Canadian employee and contractor positions on Tuesday, without disclosing the exact job-cut numbers. This follows previous workforce reductions carried out in 2025.
- Canada & Latin America·News
ConocoPhillips plans job cuts in Canada for second straight year
ConocoPhillips reportedly plans fresh job cuts in Canada, with employees bracing for notifications on Tuesday. This would mark the second consecutive year the company has cut jobs in Canada.
- United States·News
Fender says WARN notice before Corona factory closure is normal procedure, affects 533 workers
Fender issued a WARN notice to 533 employees ahead of a temporary closure of its Corona, California factory during year-end holiday inventory quiet weeks. The company said this is normal operating procedure, not layoffs—the first time Fender has used a WARN notice for a temporary factory closure. US law requires a WARN notice when more than 500 workers at one site are affected.
- United States·News
Fender denies layoffs after WARN notice, says staff return in new year
Guitar maker Fender responded to online layoff rumors, saying the WARN notice is not associated with layoffs and that employees will return to work in the new year. The notice relates to a temporary shutdown at its Corona, California factory during holiday inventory quiet weeks.
- Europe·News
Volvo Cars to cut additional 2,500 jobs amid China, US sales slump
On Oct 23, 2026, Volvo Cars announced an additional 2,500 job cuts, about 6% of its workforce, as it reported a Q3 2026 operating loss of SEK5.5 billion. Sales fell 23% year-on-year to SEK66.8 billion, with China sales down 41% and global sales down 11%. CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the old strategy of developing in Europe and selling premium cars in China no longer works.
- Europe·News
Generali to cut 9% of German workforce, consolidate offices
Italian insurer Generali plans to cut about 9% of its workforce in Germany and consolidate its office network into five regional hubs in Munich, Cologne, Karlsruhe, Hamburg and Saarbrücken. The company said job cuts will mainly be implemented through voluntary retirement arrangements as part of a cost-cutting restructuring.
- Europe·Policy & Law
UK pharma director awarded £24k after redundancy consultation left her unrepresented
A UK employment judge ruled that redundancy consultation with a pharmaceutical company director was 'wholly ineffective' after the employer failed to ensure she had authorised representation and misled her. She was awarded £24,000.
- Europe·News
Volkswagen plans to cut 12,000 more jobs by 2030, proposes transfer company scheme
According to media reports, Volkswagen's management plans to cut a further 12,000 jobs at its core brand by 2030, proposing that employees could voluntarily move into a state-subsidized transfer company (Transfergesellschaft) for retraining, during which they would no longer be VW employees. The plan, communicated by negotiator Arne Meiswinkel to the works council, is strongly opposed by works council chair Daniela Cavallo and union IG Metall, which is preparing labor disputes and possible strikes after year-end. An earlier report on October 19 said VW planned a multi-year pay freeze for its 600,000+ global employees through 2030.
- Asia-Pacific·Research
India's top IT firms diverge on headcount in September quarter
India's four largest IT services firms reported divergent headcount trends in the September 2026 quarter: HCLTech added a net 6,450 employees, Infosys added 4,480, TCS continued expanding, while Wipro cut 6,716. HCLTech reversed a prior-quarter decline, driven mainly by fresher hiring, ending at 230,339 employees with attrition at 12.8%; Infosys reached 332,542 employees with voluntary attrition easing to 12.7%.
- United States·Earnings
American Express to cut 5% of global workforce amid AI restructuring
American Express plans to cut about 5% of its global workforce as it restructures to improve efficiency and prepare for broader AI adoption, according to its third-quarter earnings disclosure. The move will result in thousands of job cuts and a $336 million charge. The company had nearly 77,000 employees at the end of 2025.
- United States·News
Netflix layoffs and exec shake-ups expose Hollywood-Silicon Valley rift
Netflix has laid off about 6% of its workforce and abandoned an $82.7 billion bid for Warner Bros., facing investor scrutiny over its growth strategy. Tensions between its L.A.-based content executives and Silicon Valley engineering teams have deepened since co-founder Reed Hastings handed the co-CEO role to Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters in January 2023.
- Global·People
Deloitte executive Houston sees 45% pay rise amid company layoffs
A Deloitte executive identified as Houston reportedly received a 45% pay increase during a period when the company was conducting layoffs. The report did not disclose the specific compensation amount, layoff scale, or affected divisions.
Yesterday · Sunday 25 October
- Europe·News
Barclays to Cut 5,000 Jobs, Expands AI Adoption for Efficiency
Barclays announced 5,000 job cuts (5% of global workforce) as part of organizational simplification and technology-driven efficiency plans. The cuts follow prior reductions of 1,000 positions, with 4,000 more expected by end-2026; 60% affect support functions including software developers, concentrated in UK retail banking.
- Asia-Pacific·News
Lee Biscuits to Close 92-Year-Old Pontian Factory, Laying Off Staff
Lee Biscuits will close its 92-year-old Pontian factory by October 2026, laying off staff. Parent Lee Group is reportedly exiting snacks manufacturing to focus on rubber and palm oil, marking the group's second Johor food facility closure in three years.
- Asia-Pacific·People
Oracle India Layoff Severance Leak Shows Up to 26 Weeks' Pay, Health Insurance
Leaked Oracle India severance calculations show up to 26 weeks' pay plus health insurance based on gross salary. A 2.5-year employee received ~6 months pay plus notice and bonuses; the layoff affected ~30,000 globally across U.S., Mexico and India.
- Global·News
Nearly 196,000 Tech Employees Laid Off Globally in 2026
Global tech layoffs reached nearly 196,000 in 2026, peaking at 29,000 in May. Intel cut 15,000 jobs (15% of workforce) as part of $10 billion cost reduction; Cisco shed over 4,000 (5%); Oracle reduced headcount by 21,000 due to AI infrastructure expansion costs.
- Europe·News
Employees Group Warns of Major Swiss Job Losses if UBS Relocates
An employee group warned that relocating UBS headquarters out of Switzerland risks major Swiss job losses, according to Reuters reporting.
- United States·Policy & Law
Immigration Column: I-140 Approval Holder Can Still Switch to F-1 Status If Laid Off from H-1B
A reader holding an approved NIW I-140 with an October 2023 priority date asked whether H-1B layoff permits F-1 status switch. Immigration counsel replied status change applications filed within the US remain viable if the applicant has genuine study intent and plans to depart post-graduation, as USCIS may approve such transfers.
Saturday 24 October
- United States·News
Laid-off H-1B Worker Faces Visa Uncertainty After 100 Job Applications Yield One Interview
An H-1B visa holder laid off after eight years of U.S. employment faces visa uncertainty after submitting over 100 job applications with only one interview; the employer declined to maintain payroll sponsorship citing legal risk but offered severance.
- Canada & Latin America·Policy & Law
Mexico's 40-Hour Workweek Reform Sparks Fears of Layoffs and Price Hikes
Mexico's proposed 40-hour workweek reform may trigger corporate layoffs and price increases, though specific legislative timelines and implementation dates remain unclear, according to reports.
- United States·Policy & Law
Northview Village Nursing Home Reaches $364K WARN Act Settlement
Approximately 184 former Northview Village nursing home employees will receive automatic payments under a pending WARN Act class action settlement totaling $364,000, stemming from the Hawthorne v. Northview Village Inc. case.
- United States·News
American Express to Lay Off 3,500 Employees
American Express announced 3,500 job cuts.
- United States·News
Train or Cut? From HSBC to Kroger, AI Layoffs Keep Rising
Recent AI-related layoffs include: HSBC considering 20,000 job cuts (10% of workforce); Amazon confirmed 16,000 enterprise job cuts in January; Intuit cut 3,000 positions; Kroger announced 3,000 enterprise job cuts in October.
- Global·News
Over 135,000 Tech Workers Laid Off in 2026 Amid AI-Driven Restructuring
Over 135,000 tech workers were laid off globally in 2026 through October across 330+ companies including Amazon, Oracle, Meta, and Microsoft. UPS planned up to 30,000 operational job cuts; Oracle reduced 21,000 with up to 30,000 restructuring impact; Amazon cut 16,000 enterprise positions in January.
Friday 23 October
- United States·News
Brigham nurses vote to reject MGB contract offer, strike remains possible
On Oct. 23, 2026, more than 4,000 unionized nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital voted to reject parent company Mass General Brigham's best and final contract offer, as MGB is simultaneously laying off workers and pursuing other cost-cutting measures. The union said it is ready to return to negotiations, leaving a potential strike on the table.
- United States·News
eBay cuts about 1,000 more jobs, 9% of workforce, despite stock surge
eBay is cutting roughly 1,000 jobs, about 9% of its workforce, in its second layoff round of 2026, CEO Jamie Iannone announced via internal memo, with affected staff to be notified in coming days. This follows about 800 cuts (6%) in February, bringing 2026 total reductions to roughly 15% of its 12,300 year-end 2025 headcount, even as eBay's stock has risen nearly 40% year-to-date.
- Canada & Latin America·Policy & Law
Ontario cuts WSIB employer premiums amid agency's own layoffs
CUPE criticized the Ontario government's decision to further cut WSIB employer premium rates, calling it an additional blow to injured workers amid long-standing compensation cuts and ongoing layoffs at WSIB itself. The report did not specify the size of the premium cut or the number of layoffs.
- Europe·News
Pfizer Catania layoffs postponed as three companies show interest in site
Layoffs at Pfizer's Catania, Italy plant have reportedly been postponed, with three companies expressing interest in the site. Details on the number of jobs affected, the delay period and the interested companies were not disclosed in the report.
Thursday 22 October
- United States·News
Health insurer PacificSource to lay off 134 workers
According to Modern Healthcare's layoffs and closures tracker, health insurer PacificSource plans to lay off 134 workers.