Amazon Axes 2,200 Seattle-Area Corporate Jobs, Deepening Tech Sector Uncertainty
SEATTLE – Amazon has filed official notice with the state of Washington that it will eliminate approximately 2,200 corporate jobs in the Seattle metropolitan area, a significant portion of the 16,000-person global layoff announced by the tech giant last week. The move intensifies concerns about a prolonged downturn in the region's flagship industry.
According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filing submitted January 30, the cuts are heavily concentrated in Amazon's hometown. More than 1,400 roles will be cut in Seattle proper, over 600 in Bellevue, with the remainder spread across other Washington locations, including some remote positions. The separations are scheduled to take effect between late April and late June.
In the filing, Amazon noted it is providing a 90-day notice period to affected employees, exceeding the federally mandated 60 days. The company also stated that workers who secure an internal transfer before their separation date will avoid being laid off.
This round follows the elimination of roughly 14,000 corporate roles in October 2025, underscoring a sustained period of restructuring. In a memo to staff, Senior Vice President Beth Galetti framed the cuts as necessary to "streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy." Industry analysts see a dual driver: a correction from pandemic-era over-hiring and a strategic pivot to invest heavily in generative artificial intelligence, which is reshaping operational priorities.
Compounding the impact, Amazon confirmed an additional 400 layoffs in Washington tied to the closure of all its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh brick-and-mortar stores, affecting nearly a dozen facilities across the state.
Amazon is not acting in isolation. The Seattle tech ecosystem is bracing under a cascade of pink slips. Expedia Group and Meta have recently announced their own cuts in the area. On Monday, T-Mobile filed a WARN notice for 393 layoffs across Washington. The consecutive blows have sparked fears of a potential economic ripple effect, impacting everything from commercial real estate to small businesses that serve tech workers.
"This isn't just a quarterly adjustment; it feels like a fundamental recalibration of Seattle's economic engine," said Mark Harmsworth, director of the Small Business Center at the Washington Policy Center. "While AI and post-pandemic downsizing are factors, the state's tax and regulatory climate is pushing companies to grow elsewhere. We may be seeing the beginning of a more significant exodus."
Voices from the Community
David Chen, 42, former Amazon project manager (laid off in October 2025): "There's a sense of whiplash. Two years ago, we were heroes keeping the world running. Now, we're a line item to be optimized. The 90-day notice is better than nothing, but it doesn't change the fact that the job market is flooded with talent all at once."
Priya Sharma, 38, small business owner in South Lake Union: "My café relied on foot traffic from these offices. With each round of layoffs and more people working remotely, I see my regulars disappear. It's a slow-motion crisis for businesses like mine that are tied to the tech campus ecosystem."
Michael Rostov, 55, software engineer at a mid-sized tech firm: "It's corporate greed, plain and simple. They over-hired to chase growth, now they're throwing thousands of lives into chaos to please shareholders. And they're hiding behind buzzwords like 'AI adoption' and 'streamlining.' These are people with families and mortgages. Beth Galetti's memo is a masterpiece of dehumanizing corporate speak."
Lisa Wang, 29, recent graduate from UW Foster School of Business: "It's terrifying. My entire cohort was targeting Amazon and these big tech firms. Now, those doors are slamming shut. It forces you to look at different industries or startups, which might be healthier in the long run, but the uncertainty is brutal right now."