Amazon To Lay Off Another 9,000 Employees In Second Round Of Job Cuts This Year

E-commerce giant Amazon is reportedly planning to lay off an additional 9,000 employees as the company continues to implement deep job cuts in its tech divisions. This latest move follows the company's announcement in February to cut 3,000 jobs in non-tech roles such as human resources and finance.

The job cuts are said to be part of Amazon's efforts to streamline its operations and cut costs, as the company faces increasing competition and pressure from shareholders to improve profits, CNBC reported. The layoffs are expected to primarily affect Amazon's consumer retail businesses, which have seen a slowdown in growth in recent years.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy addressed the layoffs in a statement, saying, "We are constantly evaluating our business needs and making changes to ensure we're best-serving customers and shareholders. This includes regular assessments of staffing levels across our business units, and in some cases, we make the difficult decision to reduce the workforce in certain areas."

According to sources familiar with the matter, Amazon has already begun informing affected employees of the upcoming layoffs, which are expected to be completed over the next several weeks. However, Amazon has not yet publicly confirmed the reports.

The news of Amazon's job cuts comes as the company faces increased scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators over its treatment of workers and anti-competitive practices. Last month, the company agreed to pay $61.7 million to settle allegations that it withheld tips from delivery drivers, while ongoing investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and European Union continue to loom over the company.

Amazon has previously faced criticism for its treatment of workers and its impact on local communities. The company has been the subject of several high-profile labor disputes and protests in recent years, as well as scrutiny over its tax practices and environmental impact.