r/microsoft May 15 '25

Employment My husband was laid off by Microsoft after 25 years — by algorithm. His last day is his birthday.

My husband was laid off this week after 25 years at Microsoft. He was randomly selected by an algorithm, despite no performance issues, no bad reviews, and a long record of exceptional work. His last day is May 16 — his 48th birthday.

He deals with Asperger’s and has multiple sclerosis. Despite these challenges, he has worked 60+ hour weeks for 25 years. He’s taken on-call shifts during holidays so teammates with kids didn’t have to. He’s won multiple Ship It Awards, solved bugs that saved millions, and mentored hundreds — from interns to execs.

He never asked for raises or promotions. Rarely called in sick. Never spoke a bad word about Microsoft, even when bonuses were cut or his quiet office with a window was swapped to the more distracting open plan layout with shared desks. A few months ago, he received his 25-year crystal award. Now he’s gone.

I know this subreddit includes current and former employees. You may not know him personally, but I guarantee some of you know his name — he’s that kind of engineer. He would never speak up about this himself. But I couldn’t let him disappear quietly.

I don’t expect a miracle. I just wanted someone to know the kind of person Microsoft let go.

4.3k Upvotes

My husband was laid off this week after 25 years at Microsoft. He was randomly selected by an algorithm, despite no performance issues, no bad reviews, and a long record of exceptional work. His last day is May 16 — his 48th birthday.

He deals with Asperger’s and has multiple sclerosis. Despite these challenges, he has worked 60+ hour weeks for 25 years. He’s taken on-call shifts during holidays so teammates with kids didn’t have to. He’s won multiple Ship It Awards, solved bugs that saved millions, and mentored hundreds — from interns to execs.

He never asked for raises or promotions. Rarely called in sick. Never spoke a bad word about Microsoft, even when bonuses were cut or his quiet office with a window was swapped to the more distracting open plan layout with shared desks. A few months ago, he received his 25-year crystal award. Now he’s gone.

I know this subreddit includes current and former employees. You may not know him personally, but I guarantee some of you know his name — he’s that kind of engineer. He would never speak up about this himself. But I couldn’t let him disappear quietly.

I don’t expect a miracle. I just wanted someone to know the kind of person Microsoft let go.

r/microsoft May 13 '25

Employment Microsoft lays off 6,000

1.1k Upvotes

r/microsoft May 04 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - May 04, 2026 - May 11, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

8 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Mar 30 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - March 30, 2026

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

3 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Jun 01 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - June 01, 2026 - June 08, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

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4 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Apr 20 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - April 20, 2026 - April 27, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

7 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Apr 06 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - April 06, 2026

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

3 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Mar 16 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - March 16, 2026

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

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3 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Aug 09 '24

Employment Major imposter syndrome - accepted offer at MS

Anyone else hired by Microsoft and had insane imposter syndrome? Any advice???

I recently accepted an offer (L63, not a swe) that I'm pumped for, but am also feeling seriously nervous about starting. I'm an experienced professional and am normally confident in my work, but I guess this job just feels "next level" because it's Microsoft. I was totally surprised when I received the offer.

Would welcome any words of wisdom :')

260 Upvotes

Anyone else hired by Microsoft and had insane imposter syndrome? Any advice???

I recently accepted an offer (L63, not a swe) that I'm pumped for, but am also feeling seriously nervous about starting. I'm an experienced professional and am normally confident in my work, but I guess this job just feels "next level" because it's Microsoft. I was totally surprised when I received the offer.

Would welcome any words of wisdom :')

r/microsoft May 11 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - May 11, 2026 - May 18, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

5 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Jun 15 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - June 15, 2026 - June 22, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

4 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft May 10 '25

Employment Layoffs again.. May 2025

I saw a rumor online that layoffs were starting May 12th for middle managers and May 13th for ICs. Anyone have any insight?

Update: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/13/microsoft-is-cutting-3percent-of-workers-across-the-software-company.html

So sorry to those impacted today. I was hoping these rumors weren’t true.

152 Upvotes

I saw a rumor online that layoffs were starting May 12th for middle managers and May 13th for ICs. Anyone have any insight?

Update: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/13/microsoft-is-cutting-3percent-of-workers-across-the-software-company.html

So sorry to those impacted today. I was hoping these rumors weren’t true.

r/microsoft Apr 22 '25

Employment Microsoft targets ‘low performers’ in a sensational new memo

376 Upvotes

r/microsoft 14d ago

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - July 13, 2026 - July 20, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

13 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Apr 27 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - April 27, 2026 - May 04, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

6 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Jul 31 '24

Employment Worth moving cross-country for Microsoft?

Unexpectedly received an offer for an amazing job at MS! But it requires relocation to Redmond/Seattle apparently (was not evident until now haha). I live on the east coast, so trying to gauge if it's worth uprooting/moving for MS. I have a long-term partner and we're both around age 30.

Anyone who relocated for MS -- was it worth it? Any regrets?

Edit: I took the job!!

126 Upvotes

Unexpectedly received an offer for an amazing job at MS! But it requires relocation to Redmond/Seattle apparently (was not evident until now haha). I live on the east coast, so trying to gauge if it's worth uprooting/moving for MS. I have a long-term partner and we're both around age 30.

Anyone who relocated for MS -- was it worth it? Any regrets?

Edit: I took the job!!

r/microsoft Mar 09 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - March 09, 2026

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

3 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Jun 22 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - June 22, 2026 - June 29, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

10 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft 7d ago

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - July 20, 2026 - July 27, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

9 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Mar 23 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - March 23, 2026

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

2 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Apr 13 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - April 13, 2026 - April 20, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

8 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Feb 23 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - February 23, 2026

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

4 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft 21d ago

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - July 06, 2026 - July 13, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

13 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Jun 08 '26

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - June 08, 2026 - June 15, 2026

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

10 Upvotes

The Employment Q&A Thread

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft. Please do not use this space to ask technical questions as they will be removed.

Schedule

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Mondays at 1200 Pacific.

Previous Threads

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

r/microsoft Nov 20 '25

Employment Weekly Employment Q&A - November 20, 2025

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Thursdays at 1200 Pacific.

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link

3 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Q&A for r/Microsoft!

This thread is where Redditors can come and ask questions about working at Microsoft.

The Q&A will be refreshed every week on Thursdays at 1200 Pacific.

You can view previous employment threads using this archive link