Layoffs in United States

Descartes Labs laid off 12 employees representing approximately 16% of its workforce on 2020-06-02.

Fundbox laid off 14 employees representing approximately 15% of its workforce on 2020-06-02.

Stitch Fix, an online personal styling service, announced in June 2020 that it would lay off 1,400 stylists based in California, representing about 18% of its then 8,000-person workforce. The layoffs, set to occur through September, were part of a strategic shift to relocate styling roles to lower-cost U.S. hubs like Dallas, Austin, and Minneapolis, where the company planned to hire 2,000 new stylists starting that summer. This restructuring, driven by cost-saving measures and operational adjustments amid the COVID-19 pandemic's uncertainty, offered affected California employees the option to relocate with support, including severance and extended benefits for those who chose not to move.

CrowdStreet laid off 24 employees representing approximately 22% of its workforce on 2020-06-01.

Brex, a San Francisco-based fintech company that provides credit cards to startups, laid off 62 employees, representing 15% of its workforce, on Friday. The layoffs were part of a company restructuring aimed at prioritizing product development over expansion in response to economic challenges from the coronavirus pandemic. With its customer base largely consisting of other startups, Brex has been impacted as these companies reduce spending or cease operations, decreasing revenue from credit card interchange fees. The company is offering affected employees eight weeks of severance pay, health insurance through the end of 2020, waived equity cliffs, extended stock option exercise periods, and the ability to keep their company-issued computers.

Microsoft laid off journalists to replace them with AI, as part of a move towards automation in its operations.

Loftium, a Seattle-based startup in the short-term rental and property management industry, laid off more than half of its employees in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated travel and Airbnb demand. The company, which had secured $15 million in venture capital and was rapidly expanding, operated in 11 cities with around 700 rental units. Founded in 2017, Loftium's business model relied on renting homes from landlords, subleasing part of the space to long-term tenants at a discount, and managing Airbnb listings in the remaining areas. With travel halted, the company faced severe financial strain, leading to widespread layoffs, withheld lease payments to landlords, and a reduction in its Airbnb listings. This crisis forced Loftium to attempt renegotiating lease terms with tenants to stay afloat.

TrueCar laid off 219 employees representing approximately 30% of its workforce on 2020-05-28.

In March 2020, StubHub, an online ticket marketplace, furloughed 450 employees, representing two-thirds of its North American workforce, as the COVID-19 pandemic began. By that summer, with live events like concerts and sports games remaining largely shut down due to high transmission risks, the company permanently laid off 200 of those furloughed employees. This significant reduction was a direct result of the severe and prolonged impact of the pandemic on the live events industry, which devastated demand for ticket resale services. The layoffs occurred just months after StubHub's $4 billion acquisition by Viagogo, a deal famously criticized for its terrible timing given the ensuing global crisis.

The Sill laid off 20 employees representing approximately 25% of its workforce on 2020-05-28.

Instructure laid off 150 employees representing approximately 12% of its workforce on 2020-05-27.

In May 2020, fintech company Acorns laid off between 50 to 70 employees, primarily from its internal support team, as part of broader business changes. This represented a small percentage of its workforce, though the exact total employee count wasn't specified. The layoffs coincided with the closure of its Portland office and a shift to outsourcing customer support to TaskUs, which will add about 80 external roles. Despite this restructuring, Acorns was experiencing significant growth, having reached 7 million sign-ups amid increased interest in investing during the coronavirus pandemic. The company, based in Irvine, California, also faced challenges with its new debit card product due to reduced consumer spending.

Uber laid off 600 employees representing approximately 23% of its workforce on 2020-05-26.

Bluprint, a Denver-based online learning startup in the lifestyle and crafts industry formerly known as Craftsy, is permanently shutting down. The company, which was acquired by NBCUniversal in 2017, will lay off all 137 employees in July and August 2024. According to founder and CEO John Levisay, the closure is a decision made by parent company NBCUniversal, though specific reasons were not detailed. Bluprint offered subscription-based how-to videos and e-commerce for crafts, but will now cease operations entirely.

Glitch, a coding platform and tech startup, laid off a substantial number of employees on May 22, 2020, to cut operating costs and ensure long-term viability. According to sources, at least 18 people were let go from a workforce of about 50, representing around a third of its staff. CEO Anil Dash cited the challenges of being a small company in a fiercely competitive space during a tough economy. The layoffs followed the recent launch of a subscription service, which had a slow start, as the company sought to stabilize its finances amid the pandemic's market conditions.

Cvent laid off 400 employees representing approximately 10% of its workforce on 2020-05-21.

In May, Intercom, a San Francisco-based customer messaging software company, laid off 39 employees, representing 6% of its workforce. The company cited restructuring efforts as it also relocated 47 roles in marketing and R&D from San Francisco to Dublin. Affecting multiple departments, including engineering, this move reflects broader adjustments within the tech industry. Intercom has since launched a Talent Directory to assist the impacted employees in finding new opportunities.

Stay Alfred laid off 221 employees representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-05-20.

Personal finance fintech SoFi has laid off approximately 112 employees, representing about 7% of its 1,600-person workforce. The cuts followed a more rigorous round of quarterly performance reviews, influenced by current market conditions, and also included the elimination of a collections team due to automation. This restructuring occurs just over a month after SoFi announced a major $1.2 billion acquisition of payments startup Galileo. The layoffs were not confined to specific teams but occurred across the organization, reflecting efforts to address inefficiencies amid broader strategic moves in the fintech industry.

Samsara, a San Francisco-based company specializing in internet-connected sensors for industrial operations, laid off 300 employees yesterday, representing 18% of its workforce across all departments. The layoffs are attributed to the economic downturn, with the company also raising $400 million at a reduced valuation of $5.4 billion, down from $6.3 billion in September. To further cut costs, Samsara is reducing executive salaries by 30% for the remainder of the year, limiting non-essential spending, and implementing a six-month hiring freeze. In a supportive move, the company has established a talent directory to assist affected employees in finding new opportunities.

WeWork India, the Indian subsidiary of the US-headquartered co-working giant, laid off approximately 20% of its workforce in May 2020, affecting around 100 employees out of a total of 500. This decision was driven by the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business and revenues, which exacerbated existing financial stress. CEO Karan Virwani stated the layoffs were a tough but necessary step to streamline operations, reduce costs, and build a sustainable structure focused on core business priorities. The company, operating 34 centers in India, aimed to become profitable by early 2021 by realigning teams and adopting a more member-centric approach amid the global crisis.

Intapp, a technology provider serving the legal industry, has laid off over 45 employees, representing approximately 5% of its workforce, in response to market challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The layoffs, confirmed by company leadership, affected staff across multiple U.S. and London offices as the legal sector faces significant economic pressures. This cost-cutting move follows a period of acquisition activity by Intapp in 2018-2019, highlighting the shifting dynamics within the legal tech industry during the outbreak.

Uber has laid off an additional 3,000 employees, representing 13% of its workforce, as part of a broader restructuring announced in May 2020. This follows a previous round of 3,700 layoffs, bringing the total to 6,700 employees, or 25% of its staff. The drastic cuts are a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused an approximate 80% decline in its core ride-sharing business. Despite growth in food delivery, it was insufficient to offset losses. Concurrently, Uber is closing 45 offices, winding down its product incubator and AI labs, and reassessing non-core units like Uber Works and its self-driving division. The layoffs span all departments and include staff from subsidiaries Careem and Jump.

In May 2020, storage software startup Datera conducted a reorganization, laying off 10-15% of its workforce as part of cost-cutting measures to reduce cash burn and achieve cash flow positivity by the end of the fiscal year. This decision was driven by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the storage market. The company, which had recently completed a funding round, also implemented salary reductions, with the CEO taking an 80% pay cut. Datera, an enterprise storage software provider, had experienced significant growth prior to the layoffs, including 325% revenue growth in 2019.

Rubrik laid off 57 employees on 2020-05-18.

Uber laid off 3,000 employees in a recent round of cuts, which were inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masse representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-05-15.

Quartz laid off 80 employees representing approximately 40% of its workforce on 2020-05-14.

Integral Ad Science laid off 70 employees representing approximately 10% of its workforce on 2020-05-14.

Veem laid off 30 employees on 2020-05-14.

Ridecell, an operations platform serving ride-sharing companies, laid off 35 employees last Thursday, representing 15% of its workforce. The layoffs are attributed to the struggles of its customers during nationwide lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has severely impacted the transportation industry. This move places Ridecell among other transportation startups like Uber, Lyft, Zum, and HopSkipDrive that have also conducted significant layoffs recently. The affected employees include 16 engineers based in the Bay Area, highlighting the broader economic challenges faced by tech firms in the sector during this time.

Cruise, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of General Motors, laid off approximately 150 employees, representing about 8 percent of its workforce, in May 2020. The job cuts, which affected recruiting, product, design, and business strategy roles, were implemented to reduce costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite having significant funding and a high valuation, the company chose to streamline operations and focus more intensively on its engineering efforts, reflecting broader challenges and workforce reductions within the self-driving car industry at the time.

Mode Analytics, a business intelligence and data analytics platform, laid off 17 employees across multiple departments including Sales, Engineering, and Product. The layoffs, announced by CEO Derek Steer in a LinkedIn post, represent a workforce reduction affecting teams company-wide. While the exact percentage and total employee count were not disclosed in the announcement, the decision was described as difficult, with the company expressing gratitude for the contributions of the departing staff. The primary focus following the layoffs was on supporting the affected employees by compiling a list to assist them in finding new opportunities within the industry.

Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform, significantly reduced its workforce in May 2020, cutting nearly 40 percent of its staff. This reduction included 25 layoffs, representing about 18 percent of employees, plus an additional 30 employees who accepted voluntary buyout packages. The company cited the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, noting a 35 percent drop in new projects on its platform with no immediate recovery in sight. As a public benefit corporation in the tech and crowdfunding industry, Kickstarter implemented these measures to navigate the financial challenges of the time.

In May 2020, the Silicon Valley delivery startup Deliv laid off 669 employees, primarily affecting 591 drivers from its subsidiary Deliv California, as the company announced it would wind down operations over the next 90 days. This represented a significant portion of its workforce, which had grown to serve 1,400 cities. The layoffs followed the company's shift to an employee-based model in California in response to the state's AB 5 gig economy law, which reclassified independent contractors as employees. Despite earlier confidence that this change wouldn't harm its business, Deliv cited a "confluence of events" leading to its decline, ending its innovative same-day delivery service that partnered with brick-and-mortar retailers.

Hireology laid off 36 employees representing approximately 17% of its workforce on 2020-05-12.

Datto on 2020-05-12.

Mixpanel laid off 65 employees representing approximately 19% of its workforce on 2020-05-12.

Petal, a New York City-based fintech company that provides credit cards to individuals without established credit scores, laid off at least 10 employees last week. The layoffs impacted various departments, though the exact total number affected remains unclear. While the company's overall employee count is not specified, this reduction reflects broader challenges in the fintech sector, where many startups are streamlining operations amid economic pressures. The event underscores the ongoing adjustments within the tech industry as companies navigate uncertain market conditions.

Airbnb-backed corporate housing startup Zeus Living laid off 73 employees, representing nearly half of its remaining workforce, as announced by CEO Kulveer Taggar in a blog post on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. This drastic cut follows a previous round of layoffs in late March, where about 80 employees, or one-third of the staff, were let go. The company, which provides furnished long-term rentals primarily for business travelers in six U.S. metro areas, is facing severe challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has halted travel and slashed its 2020 revenue projections to just 55% of original expectations. With a total employee count now significantly reduced, Zeus is also scaling back its property portfolio and has decided to return its PPP loan. The startup, backed by investors including Airbnb, recently raised $15 million at a reduced valuation, reflecting the tough market conditions in the travel and hospitality industry.

Cadre, an online marketplace for commercial real estate investments, laid off 28 employees last week, representing 25% of its workforce. The cuts affected all departments, including sales, product, engineering, people, and finance. This downsizing is a direct result of the sudden slowdown in the real estate market, which has impacted the company's revenue from transaction fees. To support those affected, Cadre is offering health insurance through the end of 2020 and extending the post-termination exercise period for vested stock options to two years.

Flywire laid off 60 employees representing approximately 12% of its workforce on 2020-05-07.

Tally, a San Francisco-based fintech startup that helps users manage multiple credit cards, laid off 28 employees last Monday, representing 23% of its workforce across all departments including Engineering, Design, and People Operations. The company cited restructuring efforts amid broader economic challenges, offering severance, extended health insurance through 2020, and additional benefits to support affected staff. This move reflects ongoing adjustments in the tech industry as startups navigate uncertain market conditions.

Jump laid off 500 employees representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-05-07.

Glassdoor, an online job search and company reviews platform, laid off 300 employees in May 2020, which represented 30% of its workforce at the time. The drastic cuts were a direct response to the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a dramatic and sustained drop in business as employers sharply reduced their recruiting activities. CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong, who had recently taken leadership, described the decision as heartbreaking and took full responsibility, noting the cuts were necessary despite executive pay reductions, including his own 50% cut. The company provided affected employees with severance packages including at least three months of pay and extended health benefits.

SalesLoft laid off 55 employees on 2020-05-07.

Flatiron School, a coding bootcamp owned by WeWork, laid off over 100 employees in early May 2020 as part of broader cost-cutting measures by its parent company amid the coronavirus pandemic. The layoffs primarily affected design and marketing teams, leading to the wind-down of its design program and the permanent closure of campuses in Atlanta and London. Employees received four months' severance pay. The cuts reflect WeWork's ongoing restructuring efforts to navigate financial challenges during the pandemic.

Following its merger with Telaria in April 2020, the Rubicon Project announced layoffs affecting 8% of the combined workforce, amounting to roughly 50 employees out of a pre-merger total of 623. The cuts, part of broader cost-saving measures exceeding $20 million, were accelerated by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the company reported 12% year-over-year revenue growth for Q1 2020, the crisis prompted immediate austerity, including executive pay reductions and a hiring freeze. The digital advertising firm highlighted a surge in connected TV (CTV) viewership as a key industry shift during this period.

Validity laid off 130 employees representing approximately 33% of its workforce on 2020-05-06.

ThoughtSpot, a business intelligence and analytics software company, laid off employees in May 2020 as part of broader cost-cutting measures within the enterprise tech sector. The layoffs were a direct response to the economic downturn and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a projected decline in corporate IT spending. While the exact number of employees affected was not publicly detailed, the action reflects the challenges faced by many enterprise tech firms at the time, even as some segments of the industry benefited from the shift to remote work.