Best Buy Layoffs: Geek Squad jobs being cut amid AI push

What’s going on at Best Buy?

Best Buy is reportedly reducing the size of its in-house tech support and repair team: Geek Squad.

Staff told 404 Media that they were instructed to stay at home on April 9 and wait for a call from management about their future.

“I spent more than half my life with this company and sacrificed a lot of personal time and experiences just to be let go,” one worker told the outlet.

“At the same time, for me it’s for the best, haven’t been scheduled 40 hours since last year and it’s a struggle to get by so I’m off to a better job and better things.”

SEE ALSO
• Best Buy cutting 700 jobs amid slowdown in sales
• Amazon eliminating hundreds of positions in cloud computing unit
• Intel Layoffs: Staff in sales and marketing division affected

The consumer electronics giant did warn earlier this year that layoffs were on the horizon.

During the company’s earnings call in February, CEO Corie Barry said corporate resources were being redirected “to make sure we have the necessary assets dedicated to areas like AI and other elements of our strategy.”

Impact on Canadian staff

It remains unclear if any Canadian employees at Geek Squad are affected by the reduction.

According to the company’s LinkedIn page, it has approximately 300 workers in the country.

Termination agreements for Best Buy Canada employees

In Canada, non-unionized employees at Best Buy and Geek Squad are owed full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing, corporate restructuring, or the closure of the business.

This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C.

People working “on contract” or as a contractor may also be owed severance pay — given that many employees in Canada are often misclassified as independent contractors.

Severance can be as much as 24 months’ pay, depending on a number of factors.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains why you are still owed severance if you have been downsized on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Before accepting a severance offer, double-check the amount using our firm’s free Severance Pay Calculator. It has helped millions of Canadians determine their entitlements.

In addition to your salary, make sure to factor in any other elements of your compensation (i.e. bonuses, commission, etc.).

If your employer’s offer falls short of what our Severance Pay Calculator says you are owed, it’s very likely that you have been wrongfully dismissed and should contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Non-unionized employees in Canada have up to two years from the date of their dismissal to pursue proper severance pay.

LEARN MORE
• Severance pay for provincially regulated employees
• Rights to severance for tech sector staff
• Severance packages during mass layoffs

Major tech layoffs continue

The reported job cuts at Best Buy come amid a flurry of tech sector layoffs in 2024.

Big names, including Relic Entertainment, Ubisoft, Lightspeed, Dell, IBM, Cisco, Mozilla, Instacart, BlackBerry, Grammarly, DocuSign, Snap, Zoom, Okta, PayPal, and Salesforce, have also pulled out the axe as they continue to navigate challenging economic conditions.

SEE ALSO
• Wayfair cutting 1,650 jobs, Ontarians affected
• Boundless Learning laying off 15% across company: Reports
• Where are layoffs happening in Canada?

Lost your job? Talk to an employment lawyer

If you have been fired or let go for any reason, contact the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. have successfully represented tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals.

In addition to severance package negotiations, we can assist you on a broad range of employment matters, including:

If you are a non-unionized employee who needs help with a workplace issue, contact us or call 1-855-821-5900 to get the advice you need and the compensation you deserve.