Microsoft Cuts 42 Jobs in Redmond, 3,200 Laid Off Washington Since May

Microsoft has announced another round of layoffs affecting 42 employees at its Redmond campus, marking the fifth consecutive month of workforce reductions in Washington state. Since May 2025, over 3,200 Microsoft employees have been laid off in Washington, with approximately 15,000 layoffs nationwide this year. These ongoing cuts, including larger rounds in May and July, are part of a broader trend among tech giants like Amazon, Oracle, and Salesforce, who have also reduced their workforces citing pandemic-era over-hiring and a strategic refocus on AI. Despite these layoffs, Microsoft’s global workforce remains steady, with continued investments and hiring in AI and other key growth areas. CEO Satya Nadella has acknowledged the difficulty and seeming incongruence of laying off employees while investing heavily in AI technology. This pattern reflects a shift from deep, one-time cuts to smaller, more frequent layoffs, leaving employees uncertain about job security.