SOURCE : NEW18 NEWS
Last Updated:May 16, 2025, 17:30 IST
The wife of a sacked Microsoft employee says her husband has been laid off randomly by a “computer algorithm”.
Microsoft is cutting about 3 per cent of its global workforce, over 6,800 roles, as part of a broad restructuring initiative.
IT giant Microsoft has announced that it is laying off 3 per cent of employees across teams and geographies. Following this, employees and their family members who have been hit by the layoffs took to social media to share their feelings. One of them, the wife of a sacked Microsoft employee, said her husband has been laid off randomly by a “computer algorithm” despite him working over 60 hours a week, taking on-call shifts during Christmas and Thanksgiving, and never asking for raises or promotions.
“My husband has worked for Microsoft for 25 years. He was just laid off — randomly selected by a computer algorithm. His last day is this Friday — his 48th birthday,” the wife of one of the sacked employees said in a post on Reddit.
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She added, “He is autistic and has multiple sclerosis. He’s the most quietly loyal, brilliant person I’ve ever met. Never missed a day of work. Rarely called in sick (and would then work from home). Worked 60+ hours a week. Took on-call shifts during Christmas and Thanksgiving so coworkers with children could be home. He never asked for raises or promotions — he just kept showing up and solving impossible problems.”
He’s won awards for fixing multi-million-dollar bugs. He’s mentored hundreds of coworkers, including some who went on to lead teams and divisions. Even the CEOs knew his name. And yet he was let go — by a spreadsheet, she said.
“He got his 25-year crystal a few months ago. Now he’s being walked out. He would be so embarrassed if he knew I was writing this. He’s proud of keeping a stiff upper lip and not making a fuss. But I couldn’t let him leave without someone hearing the story,” she said.
I don’t need pity. I just need someone to know what this world does to the people who give it everything — quietly, consistently, and without ever asking for more, she added.
Seperately, Gabriela de Queiroz, the director of AI at Microsoft, who has also been impacted by the latest round of layoffs, took to LinkedIn and said, “These days, no matter how hard you work, how much you advocate for your company, or how much results and visibility you bring — whether it’s helping Microsoft become a trusted name among AI startups or driving initiatives to make it a better place to work for hundred of people — note of that makes you immune to restructuring.”
“To those also affected — you are not alone. We are at least 6,000,” he stated.
This week, Microsoft said it is cutting approximately 3 per cent of its global workforce, over 6,800 roles, as part of a broad restructuring initiative. With a headcount of 228,000 as of June, this marks the company’s most significant round of layoffs since it eliminated 10,000 positions in 2023.
The job cuts span all levels, teams, and geographies, reflecting a company-wide shift. While Microsoft has not specified which roles are being eliminated, it emphasized the need to remain agile and competitive amid rapid changes driven by AI, cloud technologies, and evolving customer demands.
- First Published:
May 16, 2025, 16:16 IST
