A MAJOR tech giant is to will axe thousands of jobs due to the global economic crisis.
Microsoft which employs 220,000 people worldwide, 6,000 of which are in the UK, will cut thousands of jobs by September.
Around 10,000 jobs are expected to be cut - equating to just under 5% of its total workforce
The company said it had notified employees of the layoffs, some of which begin immediately.
The job cuts would affect staff worldwide, according to a statement released by Microsoft.
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But it remains unclear if UK-based positions will be affected.
Microsoft has six main offices in the UK – its Reading UK headquarters and sites in Cambridge, Edinburgh, Enfield, Manchester and Paddington.
The layoffs would be the latest in the U.S. technology sector, where companies including Amazon and Meta have announced job cuts.
Job losses have come as a result of slowing demand and a worsening global economic outlook.
Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft said: "These decisions are difficult but necessary.
"They are especially difficult because they impact people and people's lives—our colleagues and friends.
"We are committed to ensuring all those whose roles are eliminated have our full support during these transitions."
The move comes only days after Amazon announced plans to shut three UK warehouses putting over one thousand jobs at risk.
The move puts 1,200 jobs at risk.
The group, which employs around 1.5 million people globally, warned in November that its workers could be laid off.
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Following a review of its business, it said it had found roles that needed to be axed.
Sites in Hemel Hempstead, Doncaster and Gourock, in the west of Scotland, have been proposed for closure.
The online retail giant announced plans to cut more than 18,000 jobs worldwide at the beginning of January.
It comes after Royal Mail announced it is to cut as many as 6,000 jobs by the end of August this year.
And supermarket giant Tesco cut more than 300 jobs as part of a shake-up.
Your rights in redundancy
Companies can choose to cut their workforce and employees should understand their rights.
You are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, but only if you have worked at your job for two years or more.
The statutory rate is based on your age, weekly pay and number of years in the job.
You will get:
- Half a week’s pay for each full year you worked aged under 22
- One week’s pay for each full year you worked aged 22 or older, but under 41
- One and half week’s pay for each full year you worked while aged 41 or older.
But it's capped at 20 years and the max redundancy pay you can get is currently £16,320.
Some companies may offer to pay more than the statutory amount. This will usually be in your contract.
Plus, you are still entitled to any pay you are owed for untaken holiday days at the end of your notice period.
The government has a calculator on its website to help you work out how much you are owed.
