Walmart cutting corporate jobs, recalls some remote workers – Talk Business & Politics

Several hundred jobs are being cut at Walmart’s home office and its global tech operations. The layoffs in Bentonville began Monday (May 13), according to people familiar with the matter. Merchandising operations are being reorganized with some cuts in associate merchant jobs.

Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sources familiar with the action said some Walmart merchandising employees in Bentonville were laid off Monday but will stay on the payroll until early August. The employees can either find a different position or accept severance by that date. If taking severance, they can’t apply to Walmart for two years. Walmart will also connect them with a third-party job search coach.

The Global Tech division is also being impacted by layoffs with offices in Atlanta, Dallas and Toronto being closed. All employees are being laid off, with some offered the option to relocate to Bentonville, according to postings on TheLayOff.com on Monday.

Walmart also is reportedly calling back most of the employees who have worked exclusively remotely, such as software engineers, noting that some will be allowed to work remotely part-time. Employees are being asked to relocate to Bentonville, but they could request a move to Sunnyvale or Seattle.

Walmart has said it will keep offices in San Bruno, Seattle, Hoboken and Bentonville.

The Bentonville-based global retailer also is closing more stores citing poor performance. Walmart has previously said it is closing eight stores, with six in California, one in Maryland and one in Columbus, Ohio. This comes of the heels of Walmart closing its 51 healthcare centers and its virtual care division. Also, Walmart in January shuttered its Store No. 8 tech incubator with around 300 people in the unit moving to other jobs in the retailer’s technology and innovations operations, according to published reports.

Related