Amazon Announces Second Round of Layoffs, 9,000 Employees to be Affected

Amazon announced on Monday that it will be laying off an additional 9,000 employees, the second largest round of layoffs in the company’s history. This follows the 18,000 employees that were laid off in January.

In a memo to staff, CEO Andy Jassy said that the decision to lay off more employees was made in order to streamline costs and take into account the uncertain economy. Jassy said that the second phase of the company’s annual planning process, referred to internally as “OP2,” was completed this month and led to the additional job cuts.

“Given the uncertain economy in which we reside, and the uncertainty that exists in the near future, we have chosen to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount,” Jassy said. He added that Amazon will still be investing in “key long-term customer experiences that we believe can meaningfully improve customers’ lives.”

The news of the layoffs comes as Amazon is facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators over its size and power. The company has also come under fire for its labor practices, with workers staging protests and walkouts over pay and working conditions.

The layoffs are expected to take effect in the coming weeks. Amazon has not yet released details on which departments or locations will be affected.