Amazon Announces 16,000 Layoffs as Bellevue Office Expansion Continues

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Amazon has announced a new round of layoffs that will affect approximately 16,000 roles across the company, according to a recent blog post from Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology at Amazon.

In the announcement, Galetti said the reductions are part of ongoing organizational changes aimed at reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy. While many teams completed restructuring in October, other teams finalized changes more recently, resulting in additional job cuts.

Amazon said most U.S.-based employees impacted by the layoffs will be given 90 days to seek another role within the company. Employees who are unable to secure a new position or choose not to pursue one will be offered transition support, including severance pay, outplacement services, and health insurance benefits where applicable.

Galetti stated that Amazon will continue hiring in strategic areas and emphasized that the company does not plan to announce broad workforce reductions on a recurring basis. She added that teams will continue to evaluate staffing needs based on business priorities and customer demand.

The announcement comes as Amazon continues to move forward with major office development projects in Bellevue. In mid-January 2026, the company filed permits with the City of Bellevue to advance several remaining office tower projects, signaling renewed construction activity tied to its long-term presence in the city.

The permits include Tower 1 at Bellevue 600, located at 633 110th Ave. NE, as well as the remaining two towers in the three-building West Main complex at 117 106th Ave. NE. At the end of 2025, Amazon also filed a permit to resume interior build-out work at The Artise, a 25-story office tower that had been paused for more than a year.

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Additional permit applications were submitted beginning in September for renovations at the 611,000-square-foot office tower at 788 106th Ave. NE. The building is leased by Amazon and is designed to accommodate thousands of employees.

The filings point to continued investment in Bellevue as Amazon’s local workforce has grown significantly in recent years. The company’s employee count in the city has increased from 2,790 to approximately 14,300 employees. Amazon has previously stated that it expects to eventually employ about 25,000 people in Bellevue.

The company has not provided details on how the layoffs may impact its Bellevue-based workforce. Amazon was contacted for comment regarding potential local effects, but had not responded at the time of publication.

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