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The multinational e-commerce Amazon announced this Wednesday that it will lay off more than 18,000 workers.
The firm alleged that the decision was taken in light of the “instability in the global economy” and for having “hired (staff) rapidly in recent years,” according to a note signed by its executive director, Andy Jassy, and released on its corporate site.
The affected workers They will be informed from January 18.
The cuts amount to about 6% of the company’s workforce of approximately 300,000 employees.
In November, Amazon had said it was starting a round of layoffs, but at the time it did not give a figure for how many jobs it would cut.
“We are working to support those affected and provide packages that include a severance pay, transitional health insurance benefits and outside job placement support,” Jassy said.
“Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economies in the past, and we will continue to do so,” he added.
Two months ago, the firm said it would focus on cutting expenses in its annual review of business operations.
Amazon had already introduced a hiring freeze and halted some of its warehouse expansions, warning it had overhired during the pandemic.
It has also taken steps to shut down parts of its business and canceled projects like a personal delivery robot.
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