Tech Layoffs 2026: How Major Companies Compare on Severance
The tech industry continues to reshape its workforce in 2026, with layoffs affecting tens of thousands of employees across companies of every size. Whether driven by AI-related restructuring, post-pandemic corrections, or strategic pivots, these layoffs have produced a wide range of severance packages. Understanding what each major employer offers can help you benchmark your own package and negotiate more effectively.
Here is a detailed comparison of severance offerings from the biggest names in technology.
Company-by-Company Severance Breakdown
Google (Alphabet)
Google's severance packages have been among the most closely watched in the industry. During its recent rounds of layoffs, Google has generally offered:
- Base severance: 16 weeks of pay, plus an additional two weeks for every year of service beyond one year
- Stock vesting: Accelerated vesting of RSUs scheduled to vest within the next quarter, though this has varied by team and level
- Bonus: Full payment of the most recent annual bonus cycle, prorated if mid-year
- Health coverage: Six months of COBRA subsidized at the full employer rate
- Outplacement: Career transition services for six months
- Immigration support: 60-day notice period for visa holders, with some teams offering extended support
For a mid-level engineer with five years of tenure, this translates to roughly 24 weeks of total severance pay, making Google one of the more generous employers in the space.
Meta (Facebook)
Meta's layoff packages have evolved since the company's massive 2022-2023 reductions. In 2026, affected employees have generally received:
- Base severance: 16 weeks of pay as a baseline, plus two additional weeks for each year of service
- Stock vesting: Acceleration of RSUs that would have vested within the three months following termination
- Bonus: Prorated performance bonus based on time worked in the current cycle
- Health coverage: Six months of paid COBRA coverage
- PTO payout: Full payout of accrued but unused paid time off
- Career support: Three months of career coaching through an external provider
Meta's packages are competitive and broadly consistent, with less variation between teams compared to some competitors.
Amazon
Amazon's severance approach tends to be more structured and formula-driven:
- Base severance: One to two weeks per year of service, with a minimum of eight weeks and a typical range of 8 to 20 weeks
- Stock vesting: No accelerated vesting; unvested RSUs are forfeited, which can represent a substantial loss given Amazon's back-loaded vesting schedule
- Bonus: Typically not included unless contractually obligated
- Health coverage: Company-paid COBRA for the duration of the severance period
- Transition pay: Some roles receive an additional lump sum of one to three months depending on level and tenure
The lack of stock acceleration is a significant gap at Amazon, where RSUs vest on a 5-15-40-40 schedule over four years. A mid-tenure employee can lose tens of thousands of dollars in unvested equity.
Microsoft
Microsoft's severance packages reflect the company's long-standing reputation as a relatively employee-friendly employer:
- Base severance: Two months minimum for all employees, with additional weeks added based on tenure (roughly two weeks per year of service)
- Stock vesting: Partial acceleration, typically covering RSUs scheduled to vest within 30 to 60 days of termination
- Bonus: Prorated bonus for the current performance period
- Health coverage: Company-subsidized COBRA for the full severance period plus an additional two months
- Career transition: Outplacement services and internal transfer window (typically 60 days to find a new role before separation)
- Equipment: Employees may retain laptops and peripherals
Microsoft's internal transfer period is a distinguishing feature that gives employees a meaningful chance to stay with the company.
Salesforce
Salesforce has offered competitive packages in its recent workforce reductions:
- Base severance: A minimum of five months of pay, regardless of tenure
- Stock vesting: Accelerated vesting for RSUs scheduled within the current quarter
- Bonus: Full annual bonus for eligible employees
- Health coverage: Five to six months of COBRA coverage at employer rates
- Career support: Robust outplacement services, including networking events and recruiter connections
Salesforce's five-month floor makes it one of the most generous for newer employees who might otherwise receive only a few weeks elsewhere.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Component | Google | Meta | Amazon | Microsoft | Salesforce | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Base severance (minimum) | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | 8 weeks | 8 weeks | ~20 weeks | | Per-year bonus | 2 weeks/yr | 2 weeks/yr | 1-2 weeks/yr | ~2 weeks/yr | Included in base | | Typical total (5-yr employee) | 24-26 weeks | 24-26 weeks | 14-18 weeks | 16-20 weeks | 20-22 weeks | | Stock acceleration | Partial | Partial | None | Partial | Partial | | COBRA coverage | 6 months | 6 months | Severance period | Severance + 2 mo | 5-6 months | | Outplacement | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | | Internal transfer window | Limited | Limited | Some roles | 60 days | Limited |
What Affects Your Individual Package
While the table above provides general ranges, several factors can shift your specific offer significantly.
Level and seniority play a major role. Directors, VPs, and other senior leaders often receive enhanced packages that exceed standard formulas, sometimes negotiating six to twelve months of total compensation.
Team and business unit matter as well. Employees in revenue-generating roles or teams being eliminated entirely may receive more generous offers than those in functions being restructured.
Location can influence your package through state-specific legal requirements and cost-of-living adjustments. For more on how your state affects severance, explore our guides on specific regions.
Performance history sometimes factors in, with employees on performance improvement plans potentially receiving reduced packages compared to those being let go purely due to organizational changes.
How to Evaluate Your Tech Severance Offer
When reviewing a severance package from a tech company, focus on total value rather than just the number of weeks. Calculate the dollar value of each component:
- Base severance pay (weeks times weekly salary)
- Forfeited equity (value of unvested RSUs you are losing)
- Health insurance (monthly COBRA premium times months covered)
- Bonus impact (prorated bonus amount)
- Outplacement value (retail cost of equivalent services)
This total-value approach often reveals that a seemingly generous base severance may not fully compensate for lost equity, while a package with stock acceleration could be worth significantly more than the headline number suggests.
Negotiation Tips for Tech Workers
Tech employees are in a strong position to negotiate, particularly those with specialized skills in AI, machine learning, security, or infrastructure. Before accepting any offer, consider whether you can negotiate improvements on stock acceleration, extended health coverage, or an increased base severance amount.
Document your contributions, including revenue impact, patents filed, teams mentored, and critical projects delivered. These tangible accomplishments justify a premium beyond the standard formula.
Want to see how your severance offer compares? Use the free severance calculator at severancecalc.com to model different scenarios and understand the true value of your package. Being informed is the first step to making a strong negotiation case based on market benchmarks.