GoKawiil
Tech News
Employees at the newly merged Paramount Skydance, formed from Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, were told this week they must return to the office five days a week. Those unwilling to comply can instead accept a severance package of two weeks' pay per year of service, with a decision deadline of 8 p.m. PT on November 8. HR told staff the buyout is a one-time offer and no further programs are planned.
Skydance, the studio created by the recently closed $111 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, has told employees they must return to the office five days a week. The company is also offering voluntary buyout packages to certain staff.
Microsoft is offering a voluntary exit package to roughly a quarter of its global workforce, covering eligible employees at level 70 or below in the US, India, Canada and the UK. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said eligible organizations were chosen based on each business's priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs. This follows an earlier 2026 retirement offer to 8,750 US employees in April and July layoffs of 3,200 Xbox staff.
Microsoft confirmed Monday it is offering voluntary buyouts to roughly a quarter of its workforce, around 60,000 employees at level 70 or below in the US, Canada, India and the UK, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by CNBC. The offer follows a fiscal 2026 in which Microsoft spent about $116 billion on property and equipment, mostly cloud and AI data-center capacity, up roughly $50 billion from the prior year, while operating income rose about $30 billion.
EA told staff this week that it is closing BioWare's Edmonton office, its last remaining studio, and canceling the early-stage next Mass Effect project. The move eliminated about 50 BioWare jobs as part of roughly 400 layoffs across EA following the company's $55 billion leveraged buyout earlier this year.
PayPal's chief executive is moving forward with an internal restructuring strategy after a proposed $50 billion acquisition of the company failed to materialize. The plan reportedly includes incentives tied to performance, with the CEO eligible for a $25 million bonus if the turnaround convinces investors of its merit.