Amazon starts cutting 18,000 jobs, biggest layoff in company’s history

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Amazon began cutting 18,000 employees from its workforce Wednesday in the biggest layoff in the company's history, according to multiple reports.

The layoffs amount to approximately 5% of the company's 350,000 corporate employees around the world and will mostly affect the retail and human resources divisions.

The move comes after Amazon said in November that it was planning to trim 10,000 jobs in its devices, recruiting departments, Alexa unit and Luna cloud gaming division.

CEO Andy Jesse announced Jan. 5 that the majority of eliminations are in Amazon Stores and PXT organizations, referred to as “People Experience and Technology Solutions.”

Jesse hinted that he expects more reductions in early 2023, citing an "uncertain economy" and the rapid hiring spree the company has undertaken in recent years.

The e-retail company’s workforce doubled during the coronavirus pandemic to meet high demand in e-commerce, climbing to more than 1.6 million by the end of 2021, up from 800,000 at the end of 2019.