Tech Layoffs 2026: Amazon Cuts Around 16,000 Employees' Jobs Across AWS & Retail Departments in India, US & UK

Amazon, the global e-commerce and cloud computing giant, has initiated another significant round of corporate layoffs, notifying 16,000 employees that their roles are being eliminated. The cuts, communicated on January 28, 2026, impact both Amazon Web Services (AWS) and core retail operations and span regions including the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and India. Many affected employees hold software engineering and technical roles.

Amazon Layoffs 2026: Around 16,000 Employees Received Termination Notifications

Amazon employees reported receiving email notifications confirming job losses, with some expressing surprise at the abruptness of the process. Several workers shared that building badge access was immediately disabled, requiring security personnel to escort them out of offices. Internal Slack channels became active hubs where affected staff sought job leads and shared details about the layoffs.

Impact on Amazon AWS and Retail Teams

The layoffs touch multiple high-profile units within Amazon. Within AWS, teams working on Bedrock AI cloud services, Redshift data warehousing and the ProServe consulting unit saw reductions. On the retail side, groups including the Prime subscription team and the last-mile Delivery Experience division were also affected.

Employees in roles supporting cloud services, analytics platforms and customer delivery tools were among those impacted, highlighting that the layoffs are not limited to administrative positions but extend to critical technical functions.

Tech Layoffs 2026: Severance Terms and Exit Process for Affected Amazon Employees

Amazon is providing affected U.S. corporate employees with 90 days of full pay and benefits while allowing them to apply for other internal roles. Employees who do not secure or pursue a new position will subsequently receive severance packages, continued health insurance support, and outplacement services.

Internal communications set out practical instructions for employees impacted by the layoffs. Staff must return company laptops using shipping boxes provided after their separation date. Employees have until February 13 to complete a survey for collecting personal items from desks, with unclaimed belongings set to be donated or disposed of.

The latest layoffs follow earlier workforce reductions in October 2025, when 14,000 corporate roles were cut from Amazon's approximately 350,000-strong corporate staff. While an earlier memo from HR chief Beth Galetti referred to "reducing layers and removing bureaucracy," it did not specify which groups would be affected. Internal Slack posts and executive communications later clarified that both AWS and retail teams were included in the cuts.

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