Amazon and T-Mobile are eliminating nearly 2,600 positions in Bellevue and across Washington state, delivering a significant blow to the region’s tech workforce as both companies restructure amid shifting economic pressures.
Amazon is cutting 2,198 positions statewide, including 626 corporate jobs in Bellevue, according to state filings. The cuts are part of a broader 16,000-job reduction companywide and follow an October round that affected more than 2,300 Puget Sound employees. The remaining layoffs include 1,407 employees at Seattle headquarters, 30 in Redmond, 19 at fulfillment centers, and 116 remote workers. Amazon said the reductions aim to remove management layers as it ramps up billions in AI spending.
T-Mobile, headquartered in Bellevue, is cutting 393 jobs across Washington, including several vice presidents and senior management roles. The telecom company said layoffs are part of internal restructuring to streamline operations as it integrates acquisitions and adjusts to market conditions. Affected employees work at the Bellevue headquarters, data centers in Bellevue and East Wenatchee, and retail locations across the state. Employees received 60 days’ notice, with departures expected April 2.
“We have employees here whose husbands work at T-Mobile and Amazon, or wives, and that’s going to be nothing but bad news,” said Rob Pickering, who owns Snapdoodle Toys and Games in Bellevue. Edwin Sanchez, manager at E & A Pro Flooring, noted the proximity to T-Mobile headquarters brings substantial foot traffic during lunch.
Nearly 9,800 Washington-based workers have been laid off by tech companies since January 2025, including recent cuts at Microsoft and Meta. At Amazon, most U.S.-based employees were given 90 days to apply for other internal roles. Those who don’t secure new positions will receive severance packages.
Pickering said he’s uncertain how the coming weeks will affect his toy stores with so many potential customers now unemployed. “Bellevue seems to be a little more recession-proof, but I do not know if that’s going to hold much longer. T-Mobile’s news was just today, so I’m nervous.”
